Australian state sees almost 400 bushfires in a week

Sydney: The Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) witnessed almost 400 wildfires since September 29, local authorities reported on Thursday.

The NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) noted that it had been a busy period for firefighters, with blazes gripping multiple areas across the state, including the Bega Valley, Mid-Western, Hunter and North Coast, reports Xinhua news agency.

Three properties were confirmed destroyed in the Bega Valley region due to a mega bushfire in Coolagolite.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns visited the region on Wednesday afternoon, calling people to prepare for a "horror summer".

"We are one week into October, and we're experiencing mid-summer conditions, multiple days above 30 degrees, high winds. Bushfires love this environment, and it's devastating for regional communities in particular," said Minns.

The alert level for the Coolagolite fire was later downgraded from "emergency" to "advice".

In its latest major fire update on Thursday, the fire authority confirmed that with cooler temperatures and the falling of at least 20 mm of rain, the fire didn't grow in size overnight.

"But more detailed mapping shows the fire is 6,700 hectares in size and continues to burn in pockets in the Cuttagee, Barragga Bay, Murrah, Bunga, and Goalen Head areas," the NSW RFS warned, urging local communities to stay alert and monitor their surroundings.