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Soaring temperatures and strong winds have sparked new fires in the Australian state of Victoria, where tens of thousands of people were urged to flee.

Many tourists have heeded warnings to leave the East Gippsland holiday region - but others remain.

The worsening weather started blazes and fanned existing ones across the nation's south-east on Monday.

Crews across four states were bracing for a day of extreme fire danger.

More than 100 blazes continue to rage across Australia.

Extreme fire warnings have been issued for the states of Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales (NSW) and Tasmania.

Some of the largest blazes are raging near the city of Sydney in NSW, where more than a quarter of a million people have signed a petition calling for the New Year's Eve fireworks to be cancelled and the money spent on fighting fires.

What are the risks in Victoria?

In the East Gippsland region, three fires burning near the towns of Bruthen, Buchan and Bonang were forecast to grow as temperatures pass 40C (104F).

A strong wind change was predicted to drive them towards the coast, potentially crossing and cutting off the region's main road.

A fire which started on Sunday near the Princes Highway forced the road's closure for a few hours.

Andrew Crisp, Victoria's state emergency management commissioner, said anyone in the area to the east of Bairnsdale - about 280km (175 miles) east of Melbourne - should move.

He had warned people to evacuate by Monday morning or "there is every chance you won't be able to leave".

"The state is dry and it is going to be very hot and windy. People, get out now. If you don't, you have got to stay across the conditions and listen to the warnings during the day," he said.

Authorities have reported instances of extreme fire activity in the state - such as blazes so massive they generate their own weather and thunderstorms.

Any lightning strikes in dry, drought-affected forests have the potential to quickly become fires that threaten lives and homes, officials said.

A major New Year's Eve music festival in the state has also been cancelled, with organisers saying it was too dangerous for the Falls Festival in Lorne, about 140km south-west of Melbourne, to go ahead.

Some 9,000 people were already camping on the festival site, which is accessed by a single track, meaning that it would not be possible for festival-goers to evacuate quickly.

"We are gutted to make this call but the safety of our patrons, artists and staff is our main priority," said organiser Jessica Ducrou.

What about the other states?

In South Australia, crews are battling "catastrophic" fire conditions in a wine region north-east of the city of Adelaide.

The island state of Tasmania was also bracing for dangerous fires to break out amid a sweltering heatwave. Hobart, the state's capital, experienced its hottest December day on record when temperatures hit 40.8C on Monday.

More than 100 blazes continue to burn in NSW, the state worst-affected by the fires so far this year.

Temperatures were forecast to hit 40C in Sydney on Monday, and go even higher in inland towns.

"We've got some deteriorating weather conditions over the coming days, particularly Monday and worsening through to Tuesday," said the NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons.

The town of Balmoral, south-west of Sydney, was largely destroyed on 22 December and major roads leading out of the city have been closed at various points.

The fires have destroyed four million hectares (9.9m acres) in five states since September. At least nine deaths have been linked to the fires.

With total fire ban restrictions in place, several regions have cancelled their New Year's Eve fireworks including the Australian Capital Territory, where the nation's capital city Canberra is located.

However in Sydney, authorities say the city's harbour fireworks display - watched by millions around the world - will go ahead despite criticism.

NSW's deputy premier broke ranks with the rest of the state government on Monday when he said cancelling the fireworks should be a "very easy decision".

"If regional areas have had fireworks banned, then let's not have two classes of citizens," said John Barilaro. "We're all in this crisis together."

Yet the city's authorities say the cancellation would have little practical effect on affected communities.

Details for a bushfire relief fund are to be projected on the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the night.

On Saturday Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that volunteer firefighters in New South Wales would get compensation for loss of earnings after spending time away from jobs to battle bushfires.

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