Bush fires raged out of control and licked at the outskirts of Australia's biggest city today, leaving many to watch weather conditions after disrupted Christmas celebrations, evacuations and destruction.
There were no reports of death or serious injury in any of the more than 100 fires across New South Wales (NSW) state that were the worst since 1994 blazes killed four people.
But police and fire officials said at least 140 homes and properties had been destroyed, most south and west of the city.
One fire jumped the Nepean River to the northwest of Australia's most populous city and entered parkland abutting metropolitan Sydney around the suburb of Baulkham Hills, putting more homes at risk.
Another nearby fire in the Blue Mountains just west of Sydney was described as a firestorm.
"I saw fire behaviour that I haven't seen in 20 or 30 years," said NSW Rural Fire Commissioner Mr Phil Koperberg.
"In quite horrendous conditions, fire services today saved quite literally hundreds of houses. Tragically, we did lose some," he told Channel Ten television.
Authorities declared natural disaster areas to the west and north of Sydney and on the nearby south coast where some of the worst of the fires are located.