Bush fires have destroyed more than 11,000 hectares of scrub and farmland since Friday in the Adelaide Hills in South Australia.
According to TVNZ, 19 communities remain under threat even as temperatures lower and Premier Jay Weatherill has warned residents to be wary as the fire burns within 30 km (about 18.6 miles) of the city center.
Adelaide is expected to hit a high of 31 C (87.8 F) Sunday, but County Fire Service Chief Officer Greg Nettleton said wind changes could cause the fire to break out on the northwest edge, which has a 158 km (about 98 miles) perimeter.
At-risk communities include lands south of Sampson Flat such as Charleston, Houghton, Inglewood, Lobethal and Upper Hermitage.
More than 200 firefighters have fought the fire overnight to protect townships such as Kersbrook and Mount Crawford. About 13 firefighters suffered injuries while fighting the fires.
The Independent reported that Nettleton said five homes have been destroyed, but that number could be higher because authorities were unable to assess the total amount of damage caused.
These fires have been compared to the Ash Wednesday bush fires in 1983, which killed 75 people across Victoria and South Australia.
The Independent said bush fires occur seasonally in Australia but are thought to be getting worse over the years due to global warming.
The Black Saturday fires of 2009 killed 173 people in Victoria.
