A firefighter died overnight while fighting a bushfire in Bulahdelah on New South Wales' mid-north coast. Alex Graham, deputy secretary of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, said the firefighter was struck by a tree around 11 pm Sunday. Fellow firefighters gave first aid until NSW Ambulance paramedics arrived. "Our thoughts are with the firefighter’s family during this difficult time," Graham said. Premier Chris Minns called the death "a terrible reminder of how difficult and dangerous this work is". He added, "It’s a deeply distressing turn of events, and a sad day for New South Wales this morning." About 700 firefighters worked Monday morning to contain bushfires across NSW, with nine blazes still uncontained. Minns described this as "quite a foreboding beginning to the bushfire season," just days into summer. NSW Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib said, "These are people who put themselves in harm’s way to protect community, and this particular person has made the ultimate sacrifice. It’s a very, very sad day for all of us." On Sunday, the NSW Rural Fire Service reported 16 houses destroyed and nine damaged by a fire in Koolewong on the Central Coast. Seven outbuildings were also lost. No deaths were reported. Another four homes were lost at Bulahdelah. Storms and strong winds keep fire danger high. Authorities warn the public to stay alert. More than 250 firefighters, 50 trucks, and nine aircraft fought the Koolewong fire at peak. Tasmania reported a 700-hectare fire at Dolphin Sands contained after rain. It destroyed 19 homes and damaged 14 others, along with many sheds and infrastructure. Tasmanian Fire Commissioner Jeremy Smith said, "With increasing winds and debris still present on properties, conditions pose safety risks to the community." Premier Minns said December looks to be a tough month for fires due to westerly winds and warmer Pacific waters. "Unfortunately we’re likely to have more volatile weather periods in the years ahead due to the changing climate," he stated. Australia’s annual temperature is now about 1.5°C higher than in 1910, raising the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.