Premier Gladys Berejiklian has declared a state of emergency in NSW for the next week, with Sydney shrouded in smoke again, bushfires burning out of control and a scorching heatwave on its way.
Authorities have warned Sydney’s perimeter is threatened by blazes, while in Penrith – in the city’s west – temperatures is expected to reach 45 degrees on Thursday.
Rural towns such as Hay and Griffith can also expect temperatures in the mid-40s – a day after Australia endured its hottest day in history.
Elsewhere, Adelaide and Canberra are all forecast to hit 40 degrees on Thursday.
South Australia will cop the brunt of Thursday’s heat, with the capital forecast to top out at 44 degrees.
Wudinna, in SA’s south-central region, is forecast to hit 49 degrees on Thursday, as is the Western Australian town of Forrest.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Simon Timcke said heat that had been building in the middle of the country was moving south, creating the extreme conditions.
The heatwave will continue to intensify in coming days. Southern and central Australia will experience temperatures up to 16 degrees above average by Friday.
Maximum temperatures, Thursday (December 19)
Sydney 40
Melbourne 23
Brisbane 30
Adelaide 44
Perth 26
Hobart 23
Canberra 40
Darwin 35
A State of Emergency is declared in NSW from today giving Commissioner Fitzsimmons additional powers to deal with the bushfires. Severe weather conditions are forecast for today and will worsen on Saturday. Listen to warnings and be prepared. #NSWfires pic.twitter.com/iIqfFpIQIW
— Gladys Berejiklian (@GladysB) December 18, 2019
Bushfire threats
It is the second state of emergency declared for this fire season in NSW, after catastrophic fire risks sparked the first in November.
The main concern is the huge Gospers Mountain fire north-west of Sydney. It is still burning out of control on multiple fronts in the Wollemi National park.
The fire was a watch and act level on Thursday morning but there was no immediate threat to property.
The Bureau of Meteorology expects most of inland NSW will endure temperatures in the mid 40s, while areas west of the Sydney CBD are expected to top 41 degrees.
Of the fires burning around the state, more than half are uncontained.
“The biggest concern over the next few days as the unpredictability, with extreme wind conditions, extremely hot temperatures,” Ms Berejiklian said on Thursday.
The sizzling heat, combined with strong winds, could bring further bushfire devastation, with warnings that Sydney’s ongoing megafire might encircle the city.
There are up to 100 bushfires burning across NSW, with extreme fire danger warnings for the greater Sydney, Illawarra and Shoalhaven and Southern Ranges areas on Thursday.
RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said fires would be “erratic and significant” because of the winds.
“We’ll have high sustained fire dangers for something like 15 hours,” he said.
Central areas of Queensland have been issued very high danger warnings for Thursday, as crews battle about 70 fires across the state.
Heading into the weekend, all coastal towns from central Queensland to the NSW border will have very high fire danger, with central and southern parts of the state expected to face severe danger.
Today will be very hot and smoky in many parts of the state. Make sure you follow these great tips from NSW to Beat the Heat: https://t.co/gKo1QhXlvP To check out the temperatures and latest forecast, go to the NSW page on the BoM website: https://t.co/CBv32iDpYL pic.twitter.com/pFyWCHgnPs
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) December 18, 2019
Hottest day
On Tuesday, Australia sweltered through its hottest day on record, with the average temperature across the nation hitting 40.9 – breaking the mark of 40.3 set in January 2013.
In north-western NSW, the weather bureau’s Smithville outpost recorded 44 degrees on Wednesday afternoon – the highest in the state.
Other places also sweltered, with Wilcannia recording 42.5 degrees, Borrona Downs 43.1 and Tibooburra 42.9.
Parts of Queensland also sweltered, despite a cool change bringing relief to Brisbane after it hit 41.2 degrees on Monday, its highest December temperature since 1981.
The heat has prompted health warnings from state authorities, with NSW Health medical adviser Dr Adi Vyas urging people to take extra precautions.
“We know that combined effects of bushfire smoke and extreme temperatures have potential to cause severe illness, hospital admissions and even death,” he said.
“Heat puts lot of strain on the body and can cause dehydration, heat stress and heat stroke. It can also make underlying conditions worse. People over the age of 75, people with chronic conditions and those who live alone are most vulnerable.”
Meanwhile, police have again warned drivers not to leave children in cars on hot days. Victorian paramedics said they were called to eight cars with children locked inside on Wednesday, when temperatures across the state reached 40 degrees.
Police are issuing a reminder to not leave children unattended in a vehicle, following two separate reports in the…
Posted by NSW Police Force on Monday, December 16, 2019
Thursday is cooler for much of Victoria but there are total fire bans for the northern country and north-east districts.
There will be a statewide fire ban on Friday, when temperatures will soar again. In Melbourne, the mercury is expected to hit 43 degrees on Friday.
-with AAP
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