AKIPRESS.COM - Soaring temperatures and strong winds have sparked new fires in the Australian state of Victoria, where tens of thousands of people were urged to flee, BBC reports.

Many tourists have heeded warnings to leave the East Gippsland holiday region - but others remain.

The worsening weather started blazes and fanned existing ones across the nation's south-east on Monday.

Crews across four states were bracing for a day of extreme fire danger.

More than 100 blazes continue to rage across Australia.

Extreme fire warnings have been issued for the states of Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales (NSW) and Tasmania.

Some of the largest blazes are raging near the city of Sydney in NSW, where more than a quarter of a million people have signed a petition calling for the New Year's Eve fireworks to be cancelled and the money spent on fighting fires.