WILDFIRES have razed dozens of homes in southeast Australia, cut power to thousands more and killed livestock.

The worst hit town was Tathra on the south coast of New South Wales state, around 450km (280 miles) south of Sydney.

More than 70 homes and businesses had been severely damaged or destroyed and four residents were treated for smoke inhalation while one firefighter was injured, according to local authorities.

Rural Fire Service commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, said the inferno first started in a woodland area at around midday on Sunday.

In the state of Victoria, which neighbours New South Wales, as many as 18 homes had been destroyed over the weekend.

The three fires which struck there disrupted power to approximately 40,000 households, emergency management commissioner Craig Lapsley said. Sheep and cattle losses, which are thought to be substantial, had yet to be assessed.

Some of Tathra’s evacuated residents are hopeful that they will be allowed to return to their homes on Monday, as emergency workers struggle to restore damaged power supply lines to the devastated region, Fitzsimmons said.

Officials added that most of the weekend blazes had been contained and there have been no reports of serious injuries.