Fires rage across Australia's east coast

Strong winds stoked more than 100 fires across Australia's east coast on Tuesday, blanketing Sydney in hazardous smoke and prompting health warnings for the country's most populous city. Pictured: A firefighter attempts to protect the Colo Heights...more

NSW Rural Fire Service crews watch as a helicopter drops water on Wheelbarrow Ridge at Colo Heights, northwest of Sydney, November 19. AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts/via REUTERS

RFS volunteers and NSW Fire and Rescue officers protect a home on Wheelbarrow Ridge Road from the Gospers Mountain fire near Colo Heights, southwest of Sydney, November 19. AAP Image/Dean Lewins/via REUTERS

An image taken on a smart phone from a plane window shows smoke haze blanketing Sydney, November 19. AAP Image/Neil Bennett/via REUTERS

NSW Rural Fire Service crews burn a containment line around a property at Colo Heights, northwest of Sydney, November 16. AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts/via REUTERS

Tinonee resident Brian Acheson sets up his tip truck as a makeshift fire truck to assist residents fighting spot and grass fires in the Hillville area near Taree, NSW, Australia, November 13. AAP Image/Dean Lewins/via REUTERS

A resident fights a grass fire in the Hillville area near Taree, NSW, Australia, November 13. AAP Image/Dean Lewins/via REUTERS

A kookaburra perches on a burnt tree in the aftermath of a bushfire in Wallabi Point, New South Wales, Australia, November 12. Courtesy of Adam Stevenson/via REUTERS

Sharnie Moren and her 18-month-old daughter Charlotte look on as thick smoke rises from bushfires near Nana Glen, near Coffs Harbour, Australia, November 12. AAP Image/Dan Peled

A fire truck is seen near a bushfire in Nana Glen, near Coffs Harbour, Australia, November 12. AAP Image/Dan Peled

A vehicle burns in the yard of a house on Bullocky Way, Possum Brush, south of Taree in the Mid North Coast region of NSW, Australia, November 12. AAP Image/Darren Pateman

A Tuncurry fire crew member fights part of the Hillville bushfire south of Taree, in the Mid North Coast region of NSW, Australia, November 12. AAP Image/Darren Pateman

The Sydney Opera House is seen as smoke haze from bushfires drifts over the CDB in Sydney, Australia, November 12. AAP Image/Paul Braven

A Gloucester fire crew member fights flames from a bushfire at Koorainghat, near Taree in the Mid North Coast region of NSW, Australia, November 12. AAP Image/Darren Pateman

Residents try to knock down spot fires, from a bushfire, heading towards a house on a property at Koorainghat, near Taree in the Mid North Coast region of NSW, Australia, November 12. AAP Image/Darren Pateman

A water bomber drops its load on a bushfire in Nana Glen, near Coffs Harbour, Australia, November 12. AAP Image/Dan Peled

High-rise buildings are seen through smoke from bushfires during sunset in Sydney, Australia, November 11. REUTERS/Stephen Coates

A cluster of burnt out cars sit at a property at Rainbow Flat, Australia, November 11. AAP Image/Darren Pateman

Wytaliba resident Storm Sparks holds her son Zeke Bacon as she waits to get back to her house at a roadblock near Glen Innes, Australia, November 11. AAP Image/Dan Peled

Lyn and Peter Iverson with their burnt out office and shed on their property at Half Chain road, Koorainghat, Australia, November 11. AAP Image/Darren Pateman

A dead tree is seen in a field shrouded by bushfire smoke near Glen Innes, Australia, November 11. AAP Image/Dan Peled

Thomas Eveans holds melted aluminium as he inspects the remains of his house which was destroyed by a bushfire in Torrington, near Glen Innes, Australia, November 11. AAP Image/Dan Peled

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison comforts 85-year-old evacuee Owen Whalan of Half Chain road in Koorainghat during a visit to Club Taree Evacuation Centre in Taree, New South Wales, Australia, November 10. AAP Image/Darren Pateman

A fire rages on in Rainbow Flat, New South Wales, Australia, November 8. @ ethanborlephotography/via REUTERS

Firefighters look as a fire rages on in Rainbow Flat, New South Wales, Australia, November 8. @ ethanborlephotography

A fire bombing helicopter works to contain a bushfire along Old Bar road in Old Bar, New South Wales, Australia, November 9. AAP Image/Shane Chalker

A fire bombing helicopter works to contain a bushfire along Old Bar road in Old Bar, New South Wales, Australia, November 9. AAP Image/Shane Chalker

A resident watches the progress of bushfires near houses in Old Bar, New South Wales, Australia, November 9. AAP Image/Shane Chalker

A firefighter on property protection watches the progress of bushfires in Old Bar, New South Wales, Australia, November 9. AAP Image/Shane Chalker

Smoke fills the sky in Port Macquarie, Australia, November 8. MIREYA REYES/via REUTERS

A NSW Rural Fire Service personnel conducts property protection as a bushfire burns in Woodford NSW, Australia, November 8. AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts

An Air-crane water bombing helicopter drops water on a bushfire in Harrington, Australia, November 8. AAP Image/Shane Chalker

The sun is seen through heavy smoke as a bushfire burns in Woodford NSW, Australia, November 8, 2019. AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVE. AUSTRALIA OUT. NEW...more

A resident hoses smouldering logs as a bushfire burns in Woodford NSW, Australia, November 8. AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts

NSW Rural Fire Service crews fight a fire as it burns close to property on Wheelbarrow Ridge Road at Colo Heights, north west of Sydney, Australia, November 19, 2019. AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED...more