Australia's biggest city Sydney continues to be surrounded by a ring of fire today as four teenagers and a 20-year-old have now been arrested in connection with starting bush fires.
Calmer conditions have offered some respite but the weather forecast points to further problems this weekend.
Firefighters are racing against time to create firebreaks before Sunday, when temperatures are forecast to reach 40°C; (102-104° Fahrenheit) with strong southerly winds likely to increase the spread of the fire.
Some of the fires are believed to have been started by arson and New South Wales Police have now arrested three 15-year-olds and a 20-year-old. The three minors will be dealt with through the Juvenile Court system.
Meanwhile, a 19-year-old man was arrested today for lighting a grass fire in the national capital Canberra. Total fire bans are in place across New South Wales and in Canberra.
Police suspect that up to 40 of the more than 100 fires ravaging the state were started deliberately and have set up a special taskforce to investigate arson.
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner Mr Phil Koperberg warned that depite some degree of success in containing the fires, the threat to homes and wildlife remains.
"We have 372 miles of fire perimeter still burning and burning unchecked", he told a news conference.
One massive fire, which has been burning out of control for the past week, is now only a few miles from towns in Sydney's Blue Mountains, an area popular with Sydney commuters to the west of the city.
Mr Koperberg said if the fire could not be controlled "we will have widespread fire throughout the Blue Mountains towns".
The Insurance Council of Australia estimates the cost of the current fires so far at about Aus $20 million (£euro;11.7 million), although it could be much higher.