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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pleaded with international tourists not to be put off visiting the country as authorities braced themselves for another onslaught of bushfires .

Mr Morrison made the plea as he toured fire-ravaged Kangaroo Island, off the coast of South Australia, which is seeing cancellations of holidays as far in advance as April.

Similar issues have been raised in mainland areas hit in the months-long bushfires crisis.

The country’s tourism industry earned £23 billion from overseas visitors last year.

Australia bush fires hit 'catastrophic level - In pictures 26 show all Australia bush fires hit 'catastrophic level - In pictures 1/26 Helicopters dump water on bushfires Getty Images 2/26 NSW Rural Fire Service crew fight the Gospers Mountain Fire AP 3/26 Fire and smoke rise from a bush fire at Blue Mountains AP 4/26 NSW Rural Fire Service crews fight the Gospers Mountain Fire AP 5/26 An aircrewman monitoring the Tianjara fire from a helicopter in the Moreton and Jerrawangala National Park Getty Images 6/26 kangaroos move as nearby property burn in a fire in Lithgow, New South Wales AP 7/26 A man sprays water on a fire in Lithgow, New South Wales state AP 8/26 A firefighter sprays water on a fire in Lithgow AP 9/26 A firefighter sprays water on a home on fire. AP 10/26 A firefighter sprays water on a home on fire. AP 11/26 A policeman watches bushfires as they approach homes in NSW Getty Images 12/26 Helicopters dump water on bushfire Getty Images 13/26 Firemen prepare as a bushfire approaches homes on the outskirts of the town of Bargo Getty Images 14/26 Firemen prepare as a bushfire approaches homes on the outskirts of the town of Bargo Getty Images 15/26 A large bushfire burns near houses in Bargo, southwest of Sydney AFP via Getty Images 16/26 Two bushfires approach a home located on the outskirts of the town of Bargo Getty Images 17/26 Firemen inspect a house recently destroyed by bushfires Getty Images 18/26 Firefighters tend to burning property caused by bushfires in Bargo AFP via Getty Images 19/26 Firemen inspect a house recently destroyed by bushfires Getty Images 20/26 A burnt bicycle lies on the ground in front of a house Getty Images 21/26 Firefighter Gary Stokes monitoring bushfires AFP via Getty Images 22/26 Firefighters making arrangements to secure the residential area from an approaching bushfire AFP via Getty Images 23/26 volunteer firefighter Andrew Moyles cutting down burned trees in Dargan AFP via Getty Images 24/26 Volunteer firefighter Andrew Moyles cutting down burned trees in Dargan AFP via Getty Images 25/26 A smoke haze is seen over the Sydney skyline Getty Images 26/26 Firefighters tend to burning property caused by bushfires in Bargo AFP via Getty Images 1/26 Helicopters dump water on bushfires Getty Images 2/26 NSW Rural Fire Service crew fight the Gospers Mountain Fire AP 3/26 Fire and smoke rise from a bush fire at Blue Mountains AP 4/26 NSW Rural Fire Service crews fight the Gospers Mountain Fire AP 5/26 An aircrewman monitoring the Tianjara fire from a helicopter in the Moreton and Jerrawangala National Park Getty Images 6/26 kangaroos move as nearby property burn in a fire in Lithgow, New South Wales AP 7/26 A man sprays water on a fire in Lithgow, New South Wales state AP 8/26 A firefighter sprays water on a fire in Lithgow AP 9/26 A firefighter sprays water on a home on fire. AP 10/26 A firefighter sprays water on a home on fire. AP 11/26 A policeman watches bushfires as they approach homes in NSW Getty Images 12/26 Helicopters dump water on bushfire Getty Images 13/26 Firemen prepare as a bushfire approaches homes on the outskirts of the town of Bargo Getty Images 14/26 Firemen prepare as a bushfire approaches homes on the outskirts of the town of Bargo Getty Images 15/26 A large bushfire burns near houses in Bargo, southwest of Sydney AFP via Getty Images 16/26 Two bushfires approach a home located on the outskirts of the town of Bargo Getty Images 17/26 Firemen inspect a house recently destroyed by bushfires Getty Images 18/26 Firefighters tend to burning property caused by bushfires in Bargo AFP via Getty Images 19/26 Firemen inspect a house recently destroyed by bushfires Getty Images 20/26 A burnt bicycle lies on the ground in front of a house Getty Images 21/26 Firefighter Gary Stokes monitoring bushfires AFP via Getty Images 22/26 Firefighters making arrangements to secure the residential area from an approaching bushfire AFP via Getty Images 23/26 volunteer firefighter Andrew Moyles cutting down burned trees in Dargan AFP via Getty Images 24/26 Volunteer firefighter Andrew Moyles cutting down burned trees in Dargan AFP via Getty Images 25/26 A smoke haze is seen over the Sydney skyline Getty Images 26/26 Firefighters tend to burning property caused by bushfires in Bargo AFP via Getty Images

A third of the island’s rich wildlife has been devastated by fires in recent weeks.

More than half of its 50,000-strong koala population is believed to have perished, and two people have died in the flames.

“Australia is open, Australia is still a wonderful place to come and bring your family and enjoy your holidays,” Mr Morrison said.

“Even here on Kangaroo Island, where a third of the island has obviously been decimated, two-thirds of it is open and ready for business. It’s important to keep the local economies vibrant at these times.”

Steven Marshall, premier of South Australia, said: “If you want to do the people of Kangaroo Island a favour, book a holiday.”

In Victoria, authorities have urged people in fire-risk areas to consider evacuating tomorrow, the day before the state is expected to see 40C temperatures and strong winds.

Victoria emergency services minister Lisa Neville said the fires “remain dynamic, remain volatile, and the conditions we are going to see can give significant life to these fires”.

Officials today said firefighter Mat Kavanagh, 43, had died in a car crash while tackling blazes in the state, taking the national death toll to at least 26.