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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Environment
Petra Stock

Intense heat could smash temperature records in south-east Australia with catastrophic fire danger forecast

A bushfire in the hills near Harcourt, Victoria, Australia on 12 January 2026
Fires were still burning in many parts of Victoria after an intense heatwave earlier in January, which analysts said was made five times more likely due to global heating. Photograph: Jesse Thompson/Getty Images

All-time temperature records could tumble in Victoria and New South Wales over coming days, as a dome of intense heat pushes into south-east Australia, bringing extreme to catastrophic fire conditions.

Starting Saturday, the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast a prolonged period of intense heat across South Australia, Victoria, NSW and southern Queensland. Some inland areas could experience more than five days above 40C.

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