Bushfires rage across New South Wales for seventh day – in pictures

A smiling firefighter holds a tiny gecko that has escaped a bushfire. Residents of the Blue Mountains in NSW started to flee ahead of what is feared to be the most serious day of the state's bushfire crisis Photograph: AAP

A gutted trailer in a backyard. Firefighters deliberately merged two major blazes in a desperate attempt to manage the advancing infernos ahead of weather conditions that authorities warn will be "as bad as it gets" Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP

Firefighting crews rest in the sunshine at a staging and accommodation area at Penrith, west of Sydney, waiting to be called Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Firefighters look on as a helicopter drops water to contain a spot fire near Faulconbridge Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

The fire danger warning for the greater Sydney area, the Blue Mountains and the Hunter valley is set to 'extreme' Photograph: AAP

Mother and son return to look at the remains of their house in Winmalee after it was ravaged by fires in the Blue Mountains Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP

New South Wales rural fire service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons says a small amount of rain slowed down some of the fire overnight but this should not be taken as an indication of fire being contained: 'It's far from OK.' Photograph: Damian Shaw/AAP

The rural fire service headquarters is a state-of-the-art emergency operations centre which helps to communicate and assist firefighters, RFS volunteers and the local community Photograph: Damian Shaw/AAP

Fire service crews protect a property on Bulgamatta Road in the township of Berambing. Firefighters burned a forest corridor to link two massive blazes to contain a conflagration that has destroyed more than 200 homes and blackened more than 110,000 hectares Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Members of the police rescue unit search through burnt-down properties in the town of Winmalee Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Firefighters fight another blaze. Schools, daycare centres and Tafes right across the Blue Mountains have been shut the region prepares for extreme weather conditions Photograph: AAP

A firefighter gets a water hose from a firetruck. There is a total fire ban in place across the whole of New South Wales Photograph: AAP

A large plume of smoke comes from the Mount Victoria bushfire burning west of Blackheath in the Blue Mountains. High winds are fanning the fire, which is still within containment lines Photograph: Dean Lewins/AAP