Large parts of South Australia and Victoria are expecting extreme fire conditions today as a dangerous heatwave moves east, pushing temperatures well into the 40s.
By midday on Wednesday the mercury had hit 37C in Melbourne and 41C in Adelaide.
Severe to extreme intensity heatwaves stretched from the north-west to the south-east of the country – developing in Western Australia and moving through South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, the ACT and Tasmania.
Many areas were expected to see temperatures in the low to mid-40s, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Adelaide and Melbourne were anticipating “sweltering conditions” peaking at 42C on Wednesday, said the senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury, with temperatures reaching as high as 44C in Elizabeth, in Adelaide’s north.
The hottest part of the day was expected early afternoon – about 2pm or 3pm – with temperatures remaining close to their maximum into the evening.
“It’s not just a normal burst of summer heat,” Bradbury said. “These are really dangerous conditions.”
Murray Bridge, in SA’s Murraylands region, was headed for 46C on Wednesday. Port Augusta, about 300km north of Adelaide, could reach 45C, followed by 47C on Thursday.
Sign up: AU Breaking News email
The town of Roseworthy, about 50km north of Adelaide had hit 43.2C by 11:30am. The town of Hay, in NSW Riverina was 41.5C at midday.
Northerly winds coming through south-eastern Australia would create dangerous fire conditions, especially for SA and Victoria.
“For South Australia today, pretty much the entire state is sitting at extreme fire danger ratings, with the exception of the northern pastoral districts,” Bradbury said.
The added threat of isolated, dry thunderstorms “obviously rings warning bells” for emergency services, Bradbury said.
Commander Ann Buesnel, of SA’s Country Fire Service, told the ABC the landscape was “really dry”.
“We haven’t had significant rain. Everything is essentially ready to burn.
“Our crews are all prepared, our volunteers are ready. We’ve brought on some additional aircraft to protect the state as well. We’ve done everything we can and now we’re looking for the community to do their part as well.”
People were asked to enact their bushfire plan, stay informed and avoid taking any risks.
The BoM said it was the most significant heatwave since the 2019-20 black summer.
In Victoria, extreme fire danger was forecast for western and central areas on Wednesday, with extreme ratings across most districts on Friday. On Wednesday, a total fire ban was in place for the Wimmera, south-west and central districts, including Melbourne and Geelong.
The state’s Country Fire Authority chief officer, Jason Heffernan, said hot and dry conditions over the next three days would be extremely challenging for firefighters and those living and travelling in high-risk areas, and people should be prepared to leave early and take action.
Conditions would “make it difficult for firefighters to suppress a fire should one start and, given the landscape has dried up significantly over recent weeks, high fuel loads pose a serious grassfire risk”.
“We’re asking people to follow the strict requirements associated with the total fire ban declaration, consider postponing harvest and cropping activities, and make sure you have your bushfire plan ready to go.”
Sydney (forecast max 31C) and Canberra (max 35C) were expected to heat up further from Thursday. Temperatures in Hobart (max 28C) were forecast to be well above average.
Hot daytime temperatures and very warm nights would offer little relief over the coming days, Bradbury said.
“These are really dangerous conditions which may affect not just those who are vulnerable to the heat, like those who are unwell or elderly, but may likely affect those who are young and healthy as well with such persistent, intense heat.”
The Royal Australian College of GPs advised people in affected areas to “stay hydrated and stay indoors if you can”.
Its president, Dr Michael Wright, warned against complacency in high temperatures.
“My advice for all Australians is to drink plenty of water, try to stay indoors if possible during those peak UV hours of 11am to 3pm … check in on friends and family members who are more vulnerable to the impact of heatwaves, including older people.”
Australia experienced its fourth warmest year on record in 2025, with average temperatures up 1.23C nationally, according to the BoM.
The climate crisis has increased the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, including heatwaves and bushfires.
#Australias #severe #heatwave #years #descends #southeastern #states #Melbourne #hit #42C #Australia #news