Parts of the New South Wales south coast have been absolutely decimated by bushfires over the last few days.
But it's about to get a lot worse.
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The NSW Rural Fire Service has issued a warning to locals and tourists to leave a 250 kilometre section of the south coast before this weekend arrives.
The danger area spreads from Batemans Bay to the Victorian border.
There is a 'widespread extreme fire danger' forecast for the weekend and conditions are expected to be as bad, if not worse, than they were just before we rang in the new year.
The bushfire that caused several deaths and hundreds of homes to be lost is forecast to be worse - just to be clear.
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Food and water supplies in several towns are getting dangerously low and people have been urged to get out before it's too late. That message has caused massive queues of traffic, as people gather their things and make a break for it.
9News reporter Jonathon Kearsley is in Batemans Bay and said it's a nightmare to get petrol for the long drive to safety.
"Traffic is going to be very busy getting out of town. Mobile phone coverage has been restored to some parts but this service station is cash only. If people do not have cash, they will find it very difficult to even get away," he told the network.
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"We are hearing reports this morning of remarkably, in these conditions, as holidaymakers try to get out and take the advice from the RFS, is people are doing petrol drive offs. People are taking off without paying."
There have also been some pretty hectic reports of people gathering enough supplies before leaving town.
The Saturday Paper reporter Karen Middleton wrote on Twitter: "My sister lives on the far NSW south coast and, like many others, evacuated today because of fire. The local supermarket had to close because people were panicking so much they were punching each other trying to buy food."
Hopefully that's just an isolated incident.
Further south, help is now on its way for people stranded on a beachside part of Victoria after their area was destroyed by a wild bushfire.
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At the request of the Victorian government, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds have now agreed to send aircraft and vessels from the military.
The HMAS Choules, which the Daily Telegraph says specialises in responding to humanitarian crises, left Sydney and headed to Mallacoota, carrying fresh water, medical aid, food and temporary shelter.
At a media conference on Wednesday, Andrew Crisp - Victoria's emergency management commissioner - announced that authorities are now considering evacuation by sea.
As the HMAS Choules obviously cannot carry all of those stranded, Crisp said they would be prioritising those in most need.
Featured Image Credit: NSW RFSTopics: News, bushfire, Australia
