Extreme fire danger is expected on Saturday in Sydney, the ACT, the Southern Ranges, Monaro Alpine and Southern Slopes regions.
People shield themselves from the sun as they descend the Sydney Opera House steps.Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong
Rural Fire Service inspector James Morris said people should prepare their properties and ensure they had a plan if a fire approached.
“Particularly being school holidays and kids are at home,” Morris said.
“Where are they going to go? Who are they going to contact? It’s really important that everybody in the household knows what they will do in the event of a fire threatening.”
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park warned of heat-related illness, urging Sydneysiders to avoid the heat of the day while reminding parents not to leave children unattended in cars as temperatures could soar in minutes.
“That can have catastrophic outcomes for young children,” he said.
Swimmers cool off at Jellybean Pool in the Blue Mountains National Park on Wednesday.Credit: Wolter Peeters
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re dropping off something, going to pay for fuel, whatever you’re doing, no child should be left in a car over the next few days.”
Ambulances and hospitals will be stocked with water and additional staff to deal with an expected surge in medical treatment, while Park backed the state’s power grid to manage as thousands run air-conditioning units through unseasonably warm nights.
Surf Life Saving NSW general manager Brent Manieri warned those planning a beach trip against the consumption of alcohol before swimming and to attend patrolled beaches.
If at an unpatrolled location, people are encouraged to check if they have phone coverage, pack sunscreen and floatation devices, and not to swim alone.
“We would advise people as those temperatures soar … wherever possible, stay out of the heat and keep cool during those hotter parts of the day,” Manieri said.
Lifesavers will be working in teams to ensure they get adequate time out of the heat.
The latest hot spell comes after temperatures above 40 degrees in parts of Sydney during a heatwave early in December.
The heat and conditions helped fuel a number of bushfires, including one on the Central Coast, in Koolewong, that destroyed 16 homes.
A bushfire destroys houses in Koolewong in December.Credit: Craig Gill
In Melbourne, the mercury tipped over 43 degrees on Wednesday as three Victorian regions were issued with a catastrophic fire danger warning for Friday.
The North Central, Northern Country and Wimmera regions had ratings elevated on Wednesday afternoon as conditions worsened, with heat exceeding 40 degrees and severe winds forecast.
Temperatures soared across Melbourne on Wednesday.Credit: Jason South
Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch warned of challenging extreme heatwave conditions “not seen since 2019-20”.
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He said there was a very real risk of serious fires starting off the back of underlying dry conditions.
The Royal Australian College of GPs also issued a warning urging the public to prioritise hydration, rest indoors, and check on people more susceptible to heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
“Heat waves can be deadly, and the Bureau of Meteorology has warned that this promises to be the ‘most significant’ heatwave south-eastern Australia has seen in six years,” the college’s president, Dr Michael Wright, said.
Australia experienced its fourth-warmest year on record in 2025, while 2024 was the nation’s second-warmest year.
with AAP
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