Alerts up and down the eastern coast as unseasonable heat hikes bushfire risk

First came the rain promoting plant growth, followed by the heat and the late-season bushfire threat. Photo: AAP> Photo: AAP

Unseasonal autumn heat is baking large parts of the country today, with fire authorities in several states issuing warnings for hot and windy conditions.

There are total fire bans in place along much of the eastern seaboard, impacting Victoria and parts of New South Wales and South Australia.