Rain and cooler temperatures brought some welcome relief to the Australian wildfires on Monday, but officials have warned conditions will worsen later this week.
The fires, which began in September, have so far scorched an area roughly the size of Croatia, killing at least 24 people and destroying some 2,000 homes.
Two more people were reported missing in remote parts of the Australian state of New South Wales on Monday, as more than 135 fires continued to rage in the continent's most populous state.
Almost 70 of them remained uncontained.
The Rural Fire Service warned the welcomed rain would not put out the largest and most dangerous blazes before conditions deteriorated again this week.
Australia's capital, Canberra, had the worst air quality of any major city in the world on Monday morning owing to smoke from nearby wildfires.
The Department of Home Affairs, which is responsible for coordinating the country's response to disasters, told all non-critical staff to stay home because of the abysmal air quality.
"With the more benign weather conditions it presents some wonderful relief for everybody, the firefighters, the emergency services personnel, but also the communities affected by these fires," Shane Fitzsimmons, the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service, told reporters.
"But it also presents some real challenges when it comes to implementing tactical and strategic back-burns and other techniques to try and bring these fires under control."
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said there was no room for complacency.
"Unfortunately, overnight, it's become apparent that we have two people unaccounted for in New South Wales," she said at a press conference.
The fires have evolved as something of a public relations disaster for Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has come under intense criticism for his response.
Mr Morrison announced on Saturday he would dispatch 3,000 army, navy and air force reservists to help battle the fires. He also committed 20 million AUD (£10.6 million) to lease firefighting aircraft from overseas.
But the moves did little to tamp down criticism that he was slow to act, even as he has downplayed the need for his government to address climate change, which experts say helps supercharge the fire.
Australia's summer wildfires arrived early this year, fed by drought and the country's hottest and driest year on record.
Scientists say there's no doubt man-made global warming has played a major role in feeding the fires, along with factors like very dry vegetation and trees, and strong winds.
The devastation has attracted significant international attention, with many celebrities using Sunday's Golden Globes ceremony to highlight the need for action.
Stars including Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix and Cate Blanchett all used the event to demand action against climate change.
Crowe, a New Zealander who lives in Australia, won an award on the night but did not travel to Los Angeles, instead choosing to stay home and make sure his family was safe, the Press Association reported.
The actor sent a message which was read out on stage by Jennifer Aniston.
It said: "Make no mistake, the tragedy unfolding in Australia is climate change-based. We need to act based on science, move our global workforce to renewable energy and respect our planet for the unique and amazing place it is.
"That way, we all have a future. Thank you."
Nicole Kidman, who reportedly broke down in tears on the red carpet before the ceremony, thanked everyone for their "incredible support" as her native country was "under enormous stress and duress" with the fires.
Her husband, Keith Urban, added: "There's a lot of people who have lost so much down there already and there's more to come, too. We're not out of the woods; this is just really the beginning of summer."
