'I understand the frustration': PM says government is doing enough

He has also defended his government's response to the ongoing situation, saying state agencies are in control and "what we won't allow to happen is for governments to be tripping over each other".

Mr Morrison said cabinet's powerful national security committee would meet on Monday to discuss the longer term response to the bushfire crisis.

"Those contingencies are being worked on and the national security committee of cabinet will meet on Monday to consider those issues as well as the longer term response and some issues we have identified to consider amongst premiers after the fires," he said.

People in affected areas needed to follow the advice of emergency services, Mr Morrison said, acknowledging the frustration felt by those in affected areas waiting for supplies and a way out.

"What is needed is the co-ordinated response that these agencies planned for in circumstances like this. I understand the frustration, I understand the anxiety.

"I understand the fear also, but what I also understand is the need to allow the professionals and the experts who plan and then operationalise these responses to do their job and to give them every support and every resource, from the prime minister to the premier, to the mayor."

Reporters pushed Mr Morrison on criticism the federal government wasn't doing enough, but the prime minister said the government was doing everything it could to support state governments, including by making the Australian Defence Force available.

As well as the helicopters and HMAS Choules that have already been sent to Victoria, other naval vessels are being assessed and readied in NSW in case they were called upon.

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Work was being done in NSW and Victoria on medical responses and leasing more aerial firefighting assets was being considered.

"We are considering every option because we know the fire season still has a long time to run and particularly now as we are calling in more ADF assets to deal with this, what we are constantly doing, as we have been doing for months, is looking at what the contingencies are going forward."

Mr Morrison said he acknowledged the link between climate change and bushfires but said the government was doing what was needed to combat climate change.

"We've always acknowledged the link between the broader issues of global climate change and what that means for the world's weather and the dryness of conditions in many places."

Mr Morrison said the drought had left a tinderbox across the country, which had contributed to the fire conditions.

"The longer term impacts of what this means for fire seasons was what was looked at going into this season. There were many concerns that this type of fire season would have occurred last year."

Asked what the government was doing to mitigate the economic and environmental effects of climate change, the Prime Minister said the government was reducing Australia's emissions and any additional policies would both protect the environment and the viability of jobs and livelihoods.