Exceptional heatwave puts Australia’s southeast on high fire alert, pushes temperatures above 40°C

Southeastern Australia is in the grip of a severe and widespread heatwave that has pushed temperatures well above 40 °C (104 °F) across multiple states, triggering extreme bushfire risk and stretching emergency services. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has issued extreme and severe heatwave warnings for New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (VIC), South Australia (SA), and parts of Western Australia (WA), making this one of the region’s most intense heat events in years.

Record-high temperatures and heat warnings

Across southeastern Australia, heatwave conditions have been exceptional. Temperatures have surged past 40 °C in cities and regional centres alike, with Sydney forecast to reach up to 42 °C over the weekend.

In SA and VIC, inland towns saw daily highs above 46 °C earlier in the week, with some areas reporting even 48 °C+ under the intense heat dome.


Melbourne recorded temperatures approaching 43 °C, contributing to fears of widespread heat impacts on infrastructure and health. Because of this extreme heat, the region has been described on social media as currently the hottest place on Earth.

Emergency services and meteorologists have emphasized that this is not a typical summer heat; it ranks among the most significant in recent memory and is surpassing heatwave benchmarks seen in the last six years.

Bushfire danger

One of the most critical consequences of the heatwave has been the escalation of bushfire risk. Fire authorities in Victoria and southern NSW have declared “catastrophic” fire danger ratings in multiple districts.

Strong hot, dry winds, gusting up to 90 km/h, are worsening fire conditions and accelerating existing blazes, such as the large fire near Longwood in northern Victoria.

Officials warn that when fire danger reaches catastrophic, it represents the most extreme rating, meaning fires can start and spread rapidly with little warning, and evacuation timing becomes critical.

Across Victoria alone, active fires are challenging firefighters, prompting urgent evacuation advice and sheltering instructions.

Public health warnings emphasize staying hydrated, limiting outdoor activity during peak heat, and checking on vulnerable community members such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.

Meteorologists caution that a cool change may arrive later in the weekend for some regions, bringing short relief. However, associated winds and dry thunderstorms could sustain the bushfire threat even as temperatures dip.