Australia battles bush fires as three dead and dozens injured

MELBOURNE - Australian firefighters raced on Sunday to contain widespread bush fires that have left three people dead, and warned of "catastrophic" fire conditions ahead, including around the country's biggest city of Sydney.

Fires have killed three people and razed more than 150 homes since Friday, but cooler weather overnight provided a welcome reprieve for firefighters and residents.

Authorities were assessing the damage on Sunday, with more than 100 fires still burning across the states of New South Wales and Queensland, including several blazes that remained out of control.