A scorching blast of hot, dry and windy weather is fanning fires in multiple states and territories, as emergency services direct their attention to Victoria ahead of Boxing Day.
Firefighters are working to contain blazes in almost every jurisdiction, with multiple fires burning east of Perth, in Victoria’s Grampians region and in Smithfield north of Adelaide, as temperatures in the South Australian capital push towards 36C.
Total fire bans are in place for the Mount Lofty Ranges and west coast region.
Fire services are working to control minor blazes and scrub fires in the NT, NSW and in Sprent, southwest of Tasmania’s Davenport.
