A state of emergency has been declared in Australia’s capital Canberra as huge bushfires in the region rage on.
The alert was issued as strong winds threatened to propel large bushfires beyond the control of firefighters, officials said on Friday.
An uncontrolled fire on the doorstep of Canberra had grown to 185 square km, almost 8 per cent of the territory's land mass.
Soaring temperatures and strong winds are threatening to propel the large bushfire beyond the control of firefighters.
It is the first time a state of emergency has been in the region since the wildfires in 2003 which left four people dead.
Andrew Barr, Chief Minister for the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), said: "This fire may become very unpredictable. It may become uncontrollable.
"The combination of extreme heat, wind, and a dry landscape will place suburbs in Canberra's south at risk."
Australia's federal parliament is located in Canberra, which is also home to several national museums.
The state of emergency declared on Friday will run for 72 hours.
The move gives authorities greater powers to order evacuations, close roads and take control of private property.
Heatwave conditions are also expected to sweep through Victoria and New South Wales states over the weekend.
Some 80 fires are burning in those regions.
Australia has been battling bushfires across its east coast that have killed 33 people and an estimated 1 billion animals since September.
About 2,500 homes have been destroyed as more than 11.7 million hectares (117,000 square km) have been razed.
