Watch: Australia wildfire rips through homes

At least 12 homes were either destroyed or damaged when a wildfire swept through a coastal area north of Sydney, local authorities said.

The blaze broke out in the town of Koolewong, New South Wales. Scores of wildfires are burning across the state, fuelled by soaring temperatures.

An unnamed local resident said: "You had no time to even think... we've lost everything, all we've got left is what we're wearing."

Aerial footage shows several homes ablaze as firefighting helicopters work to extinguish the flames.