Thousands evacuate New South Wales south coast ahead of bushfire threat

Reuters: Residents and tourists along the New South Wales south coast started evacuations on Thursday (January 2) with authorities declaring a "tourist leave zone" for hundred's of kilometres of the coast. Long queues formed outside supermarkets and petrol stations near high-danger areas as both residents and tourists sought supplies to either bunker down or escape, but many shops and fuel stations had already run out of supplies. Major roads were closed due to fire risks, leaving motorists only a handful of escape routes causing lengthy traffic jams. Authorities have urged a mass exodus from several towns on Australia's southeast coast, an area that is hugely popular in the current summer peak holiday season, warning that extreme heat forecast for the weekend will further stoke raging fires.