Melbourne has recorded 41C, the hottest day in six years, and Adelaide’s temperature has reached 43C as a heatwave not seen since the deadly black summer bushfires has caused “really dangerous” conditions and bushfire warnings in several states.
Severe to extreme intensity heatwaves stretched from the north-west to the south-east of the country – developing in Western Australia and moving through SA, Victoria, New South Wales, the ACT and Tasmania.
Many areas saw temperatures in the low to mid-40s, amid the most significant heatwave since the 2019-20 black summer. Melbourne’s Olympic Park reached 41.C on Wednesday, the hottest day since 31 January 2020 (42.9C).
Adelaide also faced “sweltering” conditions on Wednesday, said senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury, with Elizabeth, in Adelaide’s north, hitting 45C just after lunch and Port Augusta climbing to 46C.
Adelaide reached 43C on Wednesday afternoon and wasn’t expected to drop below 30C until late in the evening.
“It’s not just a normal burst of summer heat,” Bradbury said. “These are really dangerous conditions.”
In Victoria, residents in Bungil, Granya and Thologolong in the state’s north-east were told to leave “immediately” on Wednesday afternoon due to a bushfire travelling south from Mt Lawson state park that was not yet under control.
Forest Fire Management Victoria said the fire was about 1,000 hectares and likely to grow. About 305 firefighters, 12 aircraft and more than 30 bulldozers were working to control the blaze.
Hours later, two separate fires in the state’s north near Seymour prompted emergency warnings to evacuate, impacting parts of Longwood, Avenel, Ruffy, Tarcombe, Upton Hill, Caveat, Dropmore and Terip Terip.
Community safety officers at the City of Melbourne were checking in on those experiencing homelessness, and handing out “cool kits” containing water, an oral rehydration solution, towels and a map of cool places to go in the city.
The executive director of Sweltering Cities, Emma Bacon, has been lobbying the government to suspend mutual obligations for jobseekers amid the heatwave. The team visited a Services Australia in Brunswick on Wednesday to measure the temperature at nearby public transport stops.
They measured 69C on the ground at a tram stop metres away from the building and 64C on a bus stop bench outside.
“For people who have been given no option but to come to an appointment in person today, this heat is dangerous,” she said. “The government must act to make it clear that people should be putting their health and safety first.”
The heatwave prompted significant train delays on most Melbourne metropolitan networks due to heat-related speed restrictions and forced regional services onto a reduced timetable.
Murray Bridge, in SA’s Murraylands region, was headed for 46C on Wednesday. Nearby, Monarto Safari Park made the decision to close in order to safeguard the wellbeing of animals, staff and visitors. Animals were coping well, staff said, with most having access to shade, waterholes and indoor areas.
Port Augusta, about 300km north of Adelaide, recorded 46.3C and expected to be even hotter on Thursday, with a forecast top of 47C.
Ceduna, a town to the west of SA’s Eyre Peninsula, had reached 45.7C just after midday ACDT. Hay, in the NSW Riverina, was 44.6C at 4pm AEDT. In Victoria, the highest temperatures so far were 42.5C at Hopetoun and Walpeup as of 12.50pm.
Sign up: AU Breaking News email
“For South Australia today, pretty much the entire state is sitting at extreme fire danger ratings, with the exception of the northern pastoral districts,” Bradbury said.
The added threat of isolated, dry thunderstorms “obviously rings warning bells” for emergency services, Bradbury said.
Ann Buesnel, assistant chief fire officer of SA’s Country Fire Service, told the ABC the landscape was “really dry”.
“We haven’t had significant rain. Everything is essentially ready to burn.”
In Victoria, a total fire ban was in place for the Wimmera, south-west and central districts, including Melbourne and Geelong on Wednesday.
On Thursday, total fire bans would apply across the Mallee, north central, north-east and northern country districts.
The state’s Country Fire Authority chief officer, Jason Heffernan, said hot and dry conditions over the next three days would be extremely challenging for firefighters and those living and travelling in high-risk areas, and people should be prepared to leave early and take action.
Conditions would “make it difficult for firefighters to suppress a fire should one start and, given the landscape has dried up significantly over recent weeks, high fuel loads pose a serious grassfire risk,” Heffernan said.
Sydney (forecast maximum 31C) and Canberra (maximum 35C) were expected to heat up further from Thursday. Temperatures in Hobart (maximum 28C) were forecast to be well above average.
Hot daytime temperatures and very warm nights would offer little relief over the coming days, Bradbury said.
“These are really dangerous conditions which may affect not just those who are vulnerable to the heat, like those who are unwell or elderly, but may likely affect those who are young and healthy as well, with such persistent, intense heat.”
The NSW health minister, Ryan Park, urged people to avoid exercising in the middle of the day, and reminded parents and carers to never leave children in cars.
The Royal Australian College of GPs advised people in affected areas to “stay hydrated and stay indoors if you can” warning the peak UV hours were 11am to 3pm.
Australia experienced its fourth-warmest year on record in 2025, with average temperatures up 1.23C nationally, according to the BoM.
The climate crisis has increased the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, including heatwaves and bushfires.
