Two men – a father and son – were confirmed dead in the NSW town of Cobargo. In Victoria, four people were reported missing, and the premier, Daniel Andrews, said authorities “have real fears for their safety”. Two hundred new fires started on Monday, and 60 new fires started from midnight until lunchtime Tuesday. In NSW, residents of Cobargo were evacuated as the fire front reached the town. People in bushfire-prone areas of NSW between Batemans Bay and Bega, and in the south coast town of Tathra, were told to evacuate.

Source: The Guardian December 31, 2019 00:55 UTC