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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Calla Wahlquist (now), Helen Davidson , Ben Doherty, Josh Taylor and Naaman Zhou (earlier)

Temperatures top 47C amid ongoing Australian fire crisis - as it happened

Fire crews in the Blue Mountains
Crews work to contain the Gospers Mountain fire on Tuesday. Photograph: Dean Lewins/EPA

The end of another very hot day

It is still unpleasantly warm here in Melbourne, and across much of southern Australia east of the Nullarbor. Fire activity is predicted to increase tomorrow and on Friday.

Here is a roundup of where things stand:

  • Tuesday, 17 December, was Australia’s hottest day on record. Ever. The average maximum temperature across the country was 40.9C.
  • Temperatures of 46C and above were recorded in multiple localities in three states (SA, WA, NT) on Wednesday.
  • Preliminary results from the Bureau of Meteorology showed that December heat records were broken in 17 towns in South Australia on Wednesday.
  • Extreme heatwave conditions will continue over the next few days, with temperatures peaking in South Australia and Victoria on Friday, and New South Wales on Saturday.
  • All of NSW, all of South Australia, large parts of Queensland, and northern Victoria have been placed under a total fire ban on Thursday.
  • We are about to head into three really high fire danger days: Greater Sydney, the Illawarra and the Southern Ranges regions of NSW have extreme fire danger tomorrow. South Australia will have catastrophic fire danger in some regions on Friday, with extreme and severe danger in others, and Victoria is forecast to have extreme fire danger in two regions on Friday.
  • We still don’t know where Scott Morrison is.

Stay safe, drink a lot of water, and we’ll see you tomorrow.

Updated

Queensland fire update

As of Wednesday afternoon there were about 70 bushfires burning across Queensland.

Evacuation warnings were issued for fires near Bundaberg and in the Gold Coast hinterland.

Residents at Peregian Springs on the Sunshine Coast were told to leave at 3.30pm, while residents near the Cainbable, Carneys Creek, Mount Maria and Gregory River fires were told to be ready to leave.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Service said more than 30 crews were working on fires at Peregian Springs, Weyba Downs and Noosa Heads as conditions are expected to worsen.

The fire is travelling north-west and may affect Lakewood Drive and Monak Road. Residents have been told to flee along Murdering Creek Road onto the Sunshine Motorway (also known as Emu Mountain Road) and travel south-west towards Coolum. The Sunshine Motorway has been closed both directions at the Doonan roundabout.

Fire crews have been using a water-bombing aircraft on the large and fast-moving fire at Carneys Creek, in the Scenic Rim region.

A man in his 50s received burns to his face, neck and arms while battling a blaze at Lowmead, in the Wide Bay region north of Brisbane on Tuesday afternoon, AAP reported.

A 60-year-old woman at the same property has burns to her face and airway, while another man in his 50s suffered respiratory issues. All three were taken to hospital in a stable condition.

Updated

Where was it hottest in Australia today?

It was hot pretty much everywhere, but these weather stations recorded the highest temperatures, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

NSW
Smithville — 44C at 2.30pm
Borrona Downs — 43.1C at 3.20pm
Tibooburra airport — 42.9C at 3.14pm

Victoria
Walpeup — 44.1 at 3.19pm
Hopetoun airport — 42.9C at 3.03pm
Warracknabeal airport — 42.6C at 2.59pm

Queensland
Birdsville — 47.7C at 1.42pm
Urandangi — 46.4C at 2.02pm
Ballera — 45.3C at 2.19pm

ACT
Canberra — 36.7C at 3.20pm

Western Australia
Mandora Station — 46.9C at 12.24pm
Fitzroy Crossing — 46.8C at 12.24pm
Marble Bar — 46.1C at 12.11pm

South Australia
Wudinna airport — 46.9C at 3.04pm
Tarcoola — 46.6C at 3.03pm
Ceduna — 46.5C at 1.43pm

Northern Territory
Walungurru (Kintore) — 46.4C at 2.16pm
Rabbit Flat — 46.1 at 2.14pm
Jervois — at 45.9 2.13pm

Tasmania
Ouse — 31.2C at 3.40pm
Fingal — 30.9C at 3.18pm
Bushy Park — 30.6C at 3.38pm

Updated

Catastrophic bushfire conditions forecast for South Australia

Large parts of South Australia will experience catastrophic or extreme fire danger on Friday, the Bureau of Meteorology has said.

A catastrophic rating has been declared for Mount Lofty Ranges, Kangaroo Island and the lower south-east, while extreme fire danger is forecast for the lower Eyre Peninsula, the mid-north, and Yorke Peninsula. The rest of the state will experience severe fire danger conditions.

Catastrophic, called code red in some states, is the highest fire danger rating and denotes conditions in which bushfires are not survivable.

The rating was added after the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria, in which 173 people died.

Catastrophic fire danger ratings are usually accompanied by a preliminary evacuation order, before the fire has even started. The line used by emergency services is that it is not a question of if a fire will start on a day like that, but when and where. Residents in bushfire-prone properties — basically anyone living in a rural area or small village — are usually advised to be away from home.

Updated

Thousands across Victoria are without power as the state swelters, with just one day of respite from the hot weather before the mercury soars again.

Melbourne reached a scorching 39.7C just before 3pm today, while the state’s northwest is expecting to crack the mid-40s, AAP has reported.

Power went out out for about 3,000 PowerCorp customers in Werribee and surrounding suburbs about 4pm. Crews are working to restore power to about 2,000 who still don’t have it.

The Bureau of Meteorology expects a southerly wind change to bring temperatures slightly down overnight, with milder conditions across southern areas forecast for tomorrow.

It will stay hot in the north, with a total fire ban in place for the region.

The mild weather will be short-lived, as Friday’s maximum temperature in Melbourne has been upgraded to 43C, with a chance the city could record its hottest December day since a temperature of 43.7C in 1876.

“Northerly winds are going to bring that very hot air over the north right down across the state right down to the coast, so 43C in the city some suburbs even nudging 44C,” Mr Stewart said.

Response Controller Gavin Freeman said while the state’s fire agencies and emergency managers are on alert and prepared for the conditions, it was vital the rest of the community were also prepared.

“We urge all Victorians to be aware that fires can happen anywhere and without warning, and to make their plans accordingly,” he said in a statement.

“Fire agency crews are well prepared and it’s extremely important that the community is also prepared, not only for the next couple of days, but for the months to come”.

As the mercury climbs, authorities are warning people to prepare for the hot weather.

“With dry, windy and close to 40 degree days predicted, we want everyone to be alert to the symptoms of heat-related illnesses,” Ambulance Victoria’s Justin Dunlop said.

Heat-related illness symptoms include heat rash, muscle cramps, heavy sweating, paleness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and fainting.

Residents are urged to check on their neighbours, infants, the elderly and expectant mothers who are some of the most vulnerable in this weather.

There are currently 100 bush and grass fires burning in New South Wales, 54 of which are uncontained.

And remember: the heatwave will not move east of Wagga Wagga until tomorrow.

Updated

The SA Country Fire Service has just declared a statewide total fire ban for tomorrow.

New South Wales is already under a total fire ban – it started at midnight last night and will not lift until midnight Saturday.

Victoria will have a total fire ban in the northern and north-east districts tomorrow.

Here’s a brief list of the things you cannot do under a total fire ban:

  • Light a campfire of any type or use a barbecue unless it is fuelled solely by gas or electricity, is commercially manufactured or part of a permanently fixed structure, and is three metres from any flammable material.
  • Use a solid fuel barbecue, such as a spitroast.
  • Use a scaring gun.
  • Drive a vehicle with a dodgy muffler over long grass or crops.
  • Weld with the door open.
  • Extract honey.

Updated

I have a much needed bit of good news about one of the victims of the NSW bushfires.

Nina Jongen’s family home was one of 85 destroyed in the fire that went through Nymboida on 8 November. The mud brick property was built by her parents 32 years ago when she was just a year old. Like many of the more than 700 families who have lost their homes in the NSW fires so far this year, she was facing spending Christmas in temporary accomodation.

And then she won a tiny home.

A friend entered her in the Amazon Prime competition, and the tiny house was delivered to her family property, complete with Christmas tree and presents, on Wednesday.

She says:

[This house] means we can be back on property, we can be present for the cleanup. I am so excited to have comfort, and somewhere to rest and relax and to be. A little home.”

Updated

Heatwave emergency warning for South Australia

An extreme heatwave emergency warning has been issued for the Murraylands district of South Australia, which is forecast to have temperatures in the mid-40s all week with no real respite overnight.

According to the alert issued by the SA state emergency services:

When we experience unusually high night and daytime temperatures over several days, there is no chance for your body to recover. This is dangerous for anyone who does not take precautions to keep cool – even those who are healthy. People who work or exercise outdoors are particularly at risk.”

The recommendations are: stay indoors if you can. If you must exercise, do so in the early morning or in the evening and do a less arduous routine.

Drink plenty of water, and plan ahead if you’re taking public transport as there may be delays. If you’re going camping, don’t pitch your tent under a tree – eucalypts can drop branches in the heat.

Updated

Gospers Mountain fire upgraded to emergency

That huge Gospers Mountain fire north and west of Sydney is now an emergency level incident again.

The fire is out of control, and has so far burned through more than 415,000 hectares, including through several national parks, state forests and residential areas.

See the RFS website and the Fires Near Me app for more specific info about particular areas – the size of the affected area from this fire is huge.

Updated

This relates to a watch and act fire at Peregian Springs, north of Brisbane on the Queensland coast.

The QFES says conditions are getting worse.

“Fire crews and waterbombing aircraft are working to contain the fire but firefighters may not be able to protect every property. You should not expect a firefighter at your door. Queensland police are door-knocking in the area. Power, water, and mobile phone service may be lost.”

Updated

Smithville in north-western NSW recorded a temperature of 44C this afternoon, the highest in the state.

Wilcannia recorded a temperature of 42.5C, Borrona Downs 43.1C, Tibooburra 42.9C.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology it’s only going to get worse.

“We’ve got some very hot air that will be dragged from central Australia into NSW by northerly and westerly winds over the next couple of days,” said a spokeswoman, Elli Blandford. “This will bring hot temperatures to most of NSW up to the mid 40s in most of inland NSW for the next couple of days.

“We’re expecting very hot temperatures, well above averages for this time of year.”

Updated

It’s wise to take more notice of the BoM’s recordings, but that’s still pretty hot down in Port Augusta.

Updated

A Gosford High student and climate activist Varsha Yajman, who made the papers this morning after achieving an ATAR of 99.15 despite ignoring politicians’ nagging to stop striking from school, addressed the NAB board this afternoon.

ABC reporter Julia Holman reports Yajman told the bank it needs to get out of coal, but the motion was voted down by 95% of shareholders.

Other shareholders also spoke.

Updated

Where the bloody hell are you?

A bit more feedback on Scott Morrison’s holiday.

Lara Worthington, if you need reminding, shot to fame for her delivery of the famous line in this commercial put out by Tourism Australia. Tourism Australia’s managing director at the time was Scott Morrison.

Tourism Australia commercial

Updated

People in the line of the Carneys Creek fire in Queensland have been told to leave now, with the fire expected to hit Chalk Road within the next half an hour.

“Currently as at 2.40pm [AEST] Wednesday 18 December a large and fast-moving fire is travelling in a westerly direction from Carneys Creek Road towards Chalk Road. It is expected to impact Chalk Road within the next 30 minutes. The fire could have a significant impact on the community.

“Fire crews are working with waterbombing aircraft to contain the fire but firefighters may not be able to protect every property. You should not expect a firefighter at your door. Power, water, and mobile phone service may be lost.”

Updated

It’s the afternoon, which this week has become synonymous with upgraded fires.

Fire activity is increasing at the Gospers Mountain blaze, in the Wallerawang area to the south, and the RFS has moved its status to Watch and Act.

In New South Wales an extreme fire warning is in place for greater Sydney, the Illawarra Shoalhaven region, and the southern ranges tomorrow.

The rest of the coastal regions, as well as the entire north of the state and much of the middle, are rated severe or very high.

Updated

Hello, this is Helen Davidson taking over the blog for the afternoon.

A former federal minister, Christopher Pyne, has written in support of Scott Morrison who is copping some flak over his decision to take a family holiday under an apparent shroud of secrecy.

There are a lot of opinions around about whether he should be leaving in the middle of the crisis, whether he should have at least been more transparent about it, or whether it’s entirely fine.

Pyne is very much in the latter camp.

Short of becoming one of the superheroes in the Marvel series of movies with the special skill of putting out fires with the freezing nature of his breath, what more do people expect him to do? He isn’t a member of the Rural Fire Service, so he can’t volunteer to help on the front line ... With great respect to him, he would just be in the way.”

Pyne, while also paying tribute to the victims and firefighters and everyone working hard in the bushfire response, says the criticisms of Morrison by the “outrage brigade” are unfair.

Updated

The NSW premier has warned firefighters will confront an “enormous challenge” in coming days as temperatures soar and volatile winds whip up dangerous bushfires across the state.

Gladys Berejiklian says the state faces significant bushfire risk on Thursday and Saturday with the potential for “exceedingly concerning” winds to blow embers well ahead of fire fronts.

“Not only are we going to experience very high temperatures on Thursday and Saturday but there’s the exceedingly concerning wind conditions,” she said.

“We’re going to have a number of wind fronts escalating the fuel, the fires burning, and the potential to have spot fires and embers travelling very long distances.

“It’s going to mean very unpredictable fire conditions.”

The Rural Fire Service commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, said fire behaviour is forecast to be “erratic and significant” due to the volatile winds.

“The heat will start moving through NSW on Thursday and conditions will worsen on Saturday,” he said.

“We can expect the winds to be up and conditions to be at their peak very early in the morning and we’ll have high sustained fire dangers for something like 15 hours.”

A statewide total fire ban is in place from Wednesday morning to midnight Saturday.

Firefighters will work around the clock to contain fires before the worst of the conditions hit.

There were about 100 fires burning across NSW on Wednesday at midday with more than half uncontained, the RFS said.

Daytime temperatures in parts of NSW and the ACT are expected to exceed 40C through to Saturday while in the western half of the state the mercury could top 45C.

Wind gusts could top more than 100km/h.

The NSW emergency services minister, David Elliott, said complacency was a significant threat.

“Just because you haven’t seen a fire at the end of your street, just because you can’t see smoke in your suburb, doesn’t mean that you are not at risk,” he said.

Updated

Hottest day ever: BoM says preliminary data suggests so...

This is not the highest temperature reached anywhere on the continent, but the hottest “average maximum across the country” ever recorded.

Updated

Queensland. Beautiful one day. Forty. Seven. Degrees. The. Next.

As a kid sitting in an unairconditioned primary school in Brisbane, we used to stare at a thermometer on a shaded wall outside as the mercury inched towards the mythical 38C mark when we all believed we would be sent home under some arcane law (nobody ever checked that this was actually the case, but we believed it because a big kid from year seven had told us). The thermometer never quite got there, and we never went home, but I still remember the anticipation, and just how brutally hot it felt, even short of the threshold. It’s going to be low-to-mid 40s from Friday (I note school has already broken up, but mid-40s in Queensland humidity ...)

AAP reports:

Queensland is bracing for a sweltering run-up to Christmas, with most of the state’s interior expected to reach at least 40C by the weekend.

The Bureau of Meteorology says temperatures throughout the interior west of Ipswich, near Brisbane, right up to Doomadgee on the northern Territory border, will sit in the low- to mid-40s for at least a few days from Friday.

Sunday is expected to be the hottest, with temperatures up to 12C above average in some towns.

Birdsville was expected to hit 47C on Wednesday, well above its December average of 38.9C.

It will “cool” to 45C before heating up again on Monday.

However, its Christmas Eve forecast of 47C is still well shy of its state record of 49.5C on the same day in 1972.

The state’s south-east will escape the worst of the heat, but Brisbane will still hit 35C on Sunday.

The coastal areas will be cooler with parts of the Gold Coast expected to be under 30C on Christmas Eve.

Updated

NSW update:

768 homes lost in NSW ... but nearly 6,500 have been saved

Updated

Update from fires in Queensland

Two buildings have reportedly been damaged in the fires at Mount Maria and Lowmead.

Firefighters worked overnight to try to contain the fires.

On Wednesday morning residents were told to be ready to leave if conditions worsened, and some who had evacuated are not being allowed to return home.

The fires have claimed at least two properties, Gladstone’s mayor, Matt Burnett, told the ABC.

“Unfortunately we have had reports overnight that we’ve lost two, probably three structures, which would be people’s homes in the area there,” Burnett said.

“So obviously they’re doing rapid assessment damages this morning as they were doing yesterday, at the same time, of course, trying to fight the fire which is impacting around the Lowmead, Tablelands Road area.”

The fire is burning in a south-westerly direction towards John Clifford Way.

The Queensland Rural Fire Service has also issued prepare to leave warnings for Promisedland and Pine Creek, south-west of Bundaberg.

Residents of the three towns have told to travel to an evacuation centre at Miriam Vale’s community hall, or towards Bundaberg if they have to leave on Wednesday.

Much of Queensland will suffer a heatwave for the rest of this week, but the worst is expected in the state’s interior.

Updated

A petition demanding more resources for firefighters facing longer, hotter bushfire seasons has been delivered to politicians outside NSW parliament, despite authorities insisting they are happy with funding levels.

A small crowd of demonstrators carrying placards gathered in Sydney on Wednesday to hand over the petition which has more than 59,000 signatures.

NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge, who received the petition with Labor’s Penny Sharpe and Emma Hurst of the Animal Justice party, said the vital volunteer firefighter service was under serious, unsustainable pressure.

“We’ve heard from the volunteers that they’re in danger of losing their jobs,” Shoebridge said. “Their employers can’t keep putting them on indefinite leave without state government support ... And where’s the premier? Well, she’s not here.” hoebridge said.

The premier, Gladys Berejiklian, was at Rural Fire Service headquarters on Wednesday for a briefing on the current bushfire threat and the outlook for coming days.

At parliament, Leighton Drury, state secretary of the Fire Brigade Employees Union, said volunteers could not be expected to keep fighting long-running, growing fires.

“Our volunteers are exhausted,” he said. “They are doing an overwhelming, great job. But should we be expecting them to do this? Well, I say ‘no’. Even they’re starting to say ‘no’. We need more professional firefighters.” rury said.

He also claimed there has been a “systematic defunding of fire services in NSW” in the past eight years, including a reduction in professional firefighter numbers.

Persistent claims of underfunding have been consistently rejected by the Berejiklian government and the premier said on Wednesday that she was proud of the “record investment” in emergency fire services.

The Rural Fire Service’s commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, said resourcing and funding for the organisation had “never been better”.

Updated

Sydney Water has estimated water usage is going to go up by 6.6% over summer, and has advised people to keep mindful of saving water during the drought period.

On the hottest day of summer last summer, 1.919bn litres of water was used, the equivalent of 768 Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to Sydney Water.

The total daily average water use in Sydney increased by 103m litres over summer compared with the full-year average, too, Sydney Water said.

This poses a challenge now. Sydney Water has said people should try to limit showers to four minutes; each extra minute accounts for up to nine litres of water.

Using local swimming pools or beaches and the showers there is another option.

Updated

While the drought rages on, one Queensland mayor needs water for a water skiing complex. Via AAP:

An outback mayor said he was confident hundreds of millions litres of water would be secured to fill an enormous water skiing complex at a drought-stricken town in the new year.

A 2.4km water ski circuit excavated at Barcaldine, about 1,000km north-west of Brisbane, was ready to receive the water from the Great Artesian Basin, says the mayor, Rob Chandler.

He said the project, built to a standard to host state and national barefoot-skiing championships, would be a win for the community suffering through one of its worst droughts on record.

Updated

Ausgrid is also reminding people to be wary of fallen power lines in bushfire-affected areas. One resident in Spencer, on the Hawkesbury River, almost walked on to a concealed fallen powerline.

Updated

Albanese also pointed out that Christmas pageants and concerts are being cancelled with the smoke and fire situation.

“This is a crisis and the government is very complacent.”

Albanese said he wrote to Morrison to convene a Coag meeting on the bushfire crisis, and he said the PM’s attitude has been “nothing to see here”.

“If there is nothing to see here it’s because they can’t see through the smoke coming from those fires,” he said.

He said volunteer firefighters had been in the field for months, giving up wages.

“These are brave and courageous Australians and they deserve more support than they are getting at the moment, and that is the feedback that I have had.”

Updated

Albanese will not criticise PM for taking holiday

The opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, says he isn’t going to criticise the prime minister for going on an overseas holiday (to a destination unknown) while the bushfires are raging across Australia.

“I have many criticisms of Scott Morrison, one isn’t when he chooses to go on leave with his family. People are entitled to have leave and that’s a matter for him when he takes it.

“My criticism of him is about his complacency and his failure in areas like this. His failure to develop a national economic plan to deal with the sluggish economy. His failure to have a national drought strategy and his failure to have a national policy.

“What this government is doing is essentially engaging in a
victory tour since May rather than doing, on the economic front, environmental front or on the social policy front, where we’ve had an inadequate response to the interim report on aged care.”

Updated

An important reminder for when it gets very hot in Victoria today.

Industry groups are calling on the Victorian government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also to ensure a fair transition for workers in those industries.

The groups include the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Victorian head of the Australian Industry Group, Investor Group on Climate Change, the Victorian Trades Hall Council, the Victorian Council of Social Service, and Environment Victoria.

More here, via AAP:

“Climate change poses a major threat to the Victorian community, economy and each of the sectors we represent,” the group says.

“Victoria is already living with the impacts of 1C of warming above pre-industrial levels, causing more frequent and extreme droughts, bushfires and heatwaves.

“These events cost lives, disproportionately impact vulnerable people and communities, damage infrastructure and ecosystems, and increase costs to businesses and governments.”

The group called on the Andrews Labor government, which has already set a target of net-zero emissions by 2050, to establish an independent authority to lead the transition.

Decarbonising the energy sector – the biggest contributor to Victorian emissions – “will inevitably be a priority” but should be balanced with job creation.

Support should also be provided to communities, organisations and businesses to build resilience and adapt to new weather extremes and climatic conditions, the group says.

Updated

Melbourne has so far been spared the smoky conditions suffered in New South Wales and the ACT, but although today is still forecast to have good air quality in Victoria there is a chance smoke from fires in East Gippsland could be blown to the outer south-eastern suburbs today.

Updated

A man and a woman were burned fighting fires in regional Queensland on Tuesday afternoon, AAP reports:

A man in his 50s received burns to his face, neck and arms while battling a blaze at Lowmead, in the Wide Bay region, north of Brisbane, on Tuesday afternoon.

A 60-year-old woman at the same property has burns to her face and airway, and another man in his 50s suffered respiratory problems.

All three were taken to hospital in a stable condition.

Firefighters have been working overnight to try to contain the fire in Lowmead, which is part of the bigger Mount Maria fire.

On Wednesday morning residents were ready to leave if conditions worsened, and some who had evacuated are not yet allowed to go home.

That fire is burning in a south-westerly direction towards John Clifford Way.

The Queensland Rural Fire Service has also issued prepare to leave warnings for the communities of Promisedland and Pine Creek, south-west of Bundaberg.

Residents of the three towns have been told to go to the evacuation centre at Miriam Vale’s community hall, or towards Bundaberg if they have to leave on Wednesday.

Much of Queensland will suffer a heatwave for the rest of this week but the worst is expected in the state’s interior.

Updated

The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has urged residents to consider their travel plans over the Christmas period, particularly for those visiting fire-affected towns that have only one road in and out.

“We’ve received a briefing also from the Bureau of Meteorology who indicate that not only are we going to experience very high temperatures on Thursday and on Saturday, but ... exceedingly very concerning wind conditions ... wind fronts that are going to escalate the fuel, or escalate the fires burning.

“[There is] also the potential to have spot fires and embers travelling very long distances because of what has been described to me as turbulent wind conditions. [This] is going to mean very unpredictable fire conditions.” he said.

Updated

Remember to stay hydrated

The weather bureau says the temperature is set to hit 39C in Melbourne on Wednesday and Swan Hill, in the state’s north-west, is expected to reach 43C, AAP reports:

A severe fire danger warning has been issued for the Wimmera which is under a total fire ban.

“With dry, windy and close to 40-degree days predicted, we want everyone to be alert to the symptoms of heat-related illnesses,” Ambulance Victoria’s Justin Dunlop said.

“This heatwave is likely to continue on and off over the coming weeks and we have made sure we have adequate clinical and support staff available to provide the appropriate level of care and response.”

Heat-related illness symptoms include heat rash, muscle cramps, heavy sweating, paleness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and fainting.

Residents are urged to check on their neighbours, infants, the elderly and expectant mothers who are some of the most vulnerable in this heat, Dunlop said.

Metro Trains and Yarra Trams will closely monitor conditions throughout the day to ensure commuters get to their destination. There are no planned service changes so far.

Drivers should check their vehicles as breakdowns are more likely to happen in extreme heat, the transport department warned.

Updated

Three burned fighting Queensland fires

Three people have been burned while fighting bushfires in Queensland, AAP reports.

Two men and a woman were injured at Lowmead, in the Wide Bay region, and were taken to hospital in a stable condition.

On Wednesday morning residents were ready to leave if conditions worsened, and some who have already evacuated are not yet being allowed to return home. The fire is burning in a south-westerly direction towards John Clifford Way.

Updated

Here’s how hot it was in Adelaide. The coolest it got overnight was 28.6C.

And as of 9am, it’s already 35.6C.

There is a total fire ban across the whole of NSW today, for four days.

There are fire bans across eight South Australian districts, in the south and south-east; along the Queensland coast; and one in Victoria (Wimmera).

Updated

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian is giving a press conference now on the heatwave conditions.

“There is still an element of unpredictability, which is what concerns us,” she says. “Given the heatwave conditions on Thursday but worse on Saturday, we need everyone to be alert and mindful of the conditions.”

Police and emergency services minister David Elliott adds: “The biggest risk to the people of New South Wales over the four days is complacency.”

Updated

The Northern Territory and central Australia will bear the brunt of the heat today. The bureau’s forecast is a series of 45C and over, for nearly the whole region.

Titjikala and Wulungurru (Kintore) could reach 46C.

And on that note, listen to today’s Full Story Podcast – Is central Australia becoming too hot for humans? – or read the investigation from Lorena Allam.

And fair play to their radio colleagues, who were also evacuated, and had to be a bit sneakier about it.

Yesterday, the bushfire smoke was so thick in Canberra it set off the fire alarm in the ABC’s Dickson studio – a few minutes before the 7pm news.

Undeterred, anchor Dan Bourchier and studio crew set up outside the building and broadcast from there.

The lead item that night was, ironically, the smoke.

“This appears to be becoming the new normal,” Bourchier said.

Updated

Australia facing record-breaking heat

Good morning. Welcome to day three of this week’s coverage of the bushfire crisis and heatwave.

Today, we’re at the start of an extreme, national hot spell, coast to coast, that could smash all kinds of records.

There’s a good chance the record for Australia’s hottest single day could be broken – either today or tomorrow. It currently stands at 40.3C, set in 2013. That’s for the average maximum temperature across the country.

It’s forecast to hit 42C in Adelaide – the start of four days above 40C. Inland, it could be as high 47C in Oodnadatta and Port Augusta; and 43C in Alice Springs in the NT.

In Victoria, it will be 39C in Melbourne and 43C in Mildura, while it will be 43C in Wilcannia in New South Wales.

In Western Australia, it could reach 46C at Marble Bar and 43C in Kalgoorlie. In Queensland, Birdsville could reach 47C.

Stay with us for the latest heat and bushfire updates.

Updated

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Conspiracy Theory About Jay-Z, Beyoncé's Surrogate Farm Resurfaces Amid Couple's 'Scandalous' Age Gap
Explore the controversies surrounding Jay-Z and Beyoncé, including the alleged surrogate farm in India and their age gap.
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
“I said, ‘Where is it from?’ He says, ‘I don’t know. It’s been here for the last 20 or 25 years...’” Jake E. Lee was on tour with Ozzy Osbourne when he stumbled upon the gear bargain of a lifetime
The elusive find was covered in dust but it worked perfectly – and Lee picked it up for a steal
Guitar World
Guitar World
Joni Mitchell's Eclectic Shelf Styling Inspired Graham Nash's '70s Hit, 'Our House' – Step Inside Her Stunning Laurel Canyon Home
Multi-colored, antique glass on shelves by Joni Mitchell's '60s windows were immortalized as part of music history – explore her impactful technique
Homes & Gardens
Homes & Gardens
Frankie Grande Posted His Survivor Audition Tape That Landed Him On Big Brother, And I Need To Step My Game Up
This tape is next level.
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
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