National parks and fire management agencies in Victoria and New South Wales fear that extreme weather conditions predicted for may result in a massive expansion of wildfires that have already burned over 750,000 hectares (2896 square miles) of alpine national parks and forests. The wildfires coalesced from approximately 60 small blazes started by lightning strikes associated with dry thunderstorms in late December and early January. They are now burning on a 200 kilometre (125 mile) long front through the forested ranges of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the alpine parks of New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria.