the Devastation is "shocking" says prime minister of the state, after australian fires Saturday escalated.

Saturday ended up as a "terrible day" in the australian state of New South Wales, where the village of Balmoral was as good as wiped out.

It informs the state's prime minister, Gladys Berejiklian, on the night of Sunday, Danish time. It writes the AFP news agency.

- the Devastation is shocking. We have got the terrible news that there is not much left of the city, the Balmoral, she says.

In several australian states are fighting thousands of firefighters with more than 200 active fires.

Saturday was the combination of a heatwave and unpredictable, strong winds to escalate the situation around the major fires.

Two civilians lost Saturday life under the fires in the state of South Australia, while two mega-fires near Sydney and then spread dramatically in New South Wales.

And one of these two mega-fires have now consumed most of the town of Balmoral, which lies about 100 kilometers southwest of Sydney, it is now clear.

the Fire department is to determine the precise destruction after the disastrous Saturday.

- We are talking about dozens of homes and dozens of buildings, says brandkommissær Shane Fitzsimmons at a news conference, according to The Guardian.

- The last 24 hours, we can talk about the hundreds of homes in the state, which will be added to the list of this season's devastation.

The second megabrand near Sydney has managed to climb a hillside at 200 meters height. It shows a recording that, among other things, the australian media 9 News has brought.

on Sunday morning local time, temperatures dropped, giving brandmyndighederne a chance to get control of the many fires.

But the biggest fires look according to the fire assessment does not appear to be able to turn off without significant rain.

And thus there is not prospect that the fires can really get under control until well into January, informs brandkommissæren.

/ritzau/