AS Canberra endures the worst air quality ever recorded, the NSW Rural Fire Service has confirmed seven people have died in the bushfires sweeping the NSW south coast.

The ABC reports that the 2pm air-quality index reading in the ACT’s southern station at Monash was 4650 — more than 23 times the hazardous level of 200. In the ACT, other air-quality stations recorded ratings of 3436 at Civic and 3508 at Florey.

Canberra has topped the global air-pollution charts with a rating significantly higher than India’s notorious New Delhi.

South coast communities devastated by the fires include Batemans Bay, Mallacoota, Conjola Park and Cobargo.

Former ACT Legislative Assembly member Dave Rugendyke and his wife Barbara are reported by friends to have lost their home yesterday. Both are believed to be okay.

Rugendyke, 66, a former policeman was elected a member of Ginninderra at the 1998 general election but sat as an independent in the Assembly. He sought re-election at the 2001 general election on his own ticket, but was unsuccessful.