Severe blazes have raged across Australia’s east coast in what has been described as the worst fires since the 2019/20 “Black Summer”.

The NSW RFS announced that over 41 bush and grass fires ripped across the state on Tuesday March 7, as the state recorded temperatures over 40°C for the first time in over two years.

An 18,173-hectare fire near Hill End in central west NSW destroyed four homes and killed hundreds of livestock, with more than 120 properties yet to be assessed for damage.

The fire continues to burn more than a week after it first started, with firefighters having contained it.

RFS Inspector Michael Gray urged “extreme caution” for residents in fire-prone areas, with conditions remaining volatile ahead of warmer weather later this week.

The fires show the potential risk of an El Nino weather event, which could develop later this year, as suggested by modelling from the Bureau of Meteorology and other forecasters.