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07 Jan 2026, 11:51PM UTC
WA hits 49°C as heatwave escalates fire danger in multiple states
Western Australia has endured blisteringly hot temperatures this week, with the state setting a new high minimum temperature record on Wednesday morning before getting close to 50°C in the afternoon. Record-breaking heat in WA WA’s Pilbara district is no stranger to intense heat at this time of year. The average maximum temperature at Marble Bar during January is around 41°C, while Karratha’s average January minimum temperature is about 27°C. But this week has been remarkably hot in the Pilbara and records have been broken. Paraburdoo, located roughly 200 km west of Newman, registered a minimum temperature of 35.8°C on the morning of Wednesday, January 7. This was the highest minimum temperature ever reliably recorded in WA, beating the previous record of 35.5°C at Wittenoom on January 21, 2003. It was also the 5th highest minimum temperature record in Australia. This record-breaking minimum temperature was then followed by a day of extreme heat as the mercury soared as high as 49°C at Onslow Airport. Hottest place in the world While Onslow’s 49°C was not a record, it was the highest temperature anywhere in the world on January 7. Impressively, Onslow was more than 100°C warmer the coldest place in the world on January 7, which was -53.5°C in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia. That means the temperature differential between Australia and Russia on January 7 was a whopping 102.5°C. Image: Modelled 1-day average temperature on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, showing a huge contrast between Australia and Russia. Source: ClimateReanalyzer.com Widespread heat continuing over Australia While WA has been the highest temperatures in Australia this week, intense heat has been widespread as the country endures a nation-wide heatwave. Temperatures exceeded 43°C in parts of WA, NSW, SA, the NT, Vic and Qld on Wednesday, January 7. For some places, it was the hottest day in around 6 to 7 years. This included Melbourne, which reached 41.0°C, its highest temperature since 2020. This severe to extreme heatwave will continue to affect a broad area of Australia in the coming days as hot air lingers over the country. Unfortunately, this heat will contribute to extreme and catastrophic fire danger ratings in parts of Vic, SA, NSW and the ACT between Thursday and Saturday. The combination of the heatwave and elevated fire weather will cause conditions that could threaten people's lives and impact infrastructure, including transport networks and electricity supply. Be sure to check the latest forecasts and warnings in your area over the next few days and monitor fire activity in your state or territory. Fire information can be found at the following websites: Vic: https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/ SA: https://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/home/ NSW: https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/ ACT: https://esa.act.gov.au/fire-rescue The Australian Red Cross has the following advice for staying safe during a heatwave: Stay inside and keep out of the heat as much as possible. Plan to do most of your activities early or late in the day to avoid being outside during the hottest hours. Avoid sport and heavy exercise during peak hours of the day. Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Keep your home cool by using external shade cloths or blinds to shield the inside of the house from direct sunlight. Where possible use a combination of air conditioning and fans to keep certain rooms in the house cool. Electric fans can be an effective method of cooling if air conditioning is not available. If not using air conditioning, open windows during the cooler parts of the day and allow ventilation between rooms. Take cool showers or baths, splash yourself with cold water, or use a cool damp cloth to cool down. If it's too hot at home, go to an air-conditioned shopping centre, community centre, library or your local swimming pool. Avoid direct exposure to the sun where possible and protect yourself with appropriate clothing (loose-fitting, lightweight and light-coloured). Do not leave children or animals in parked vehicles. Keep in touch with friends, neighbours and relatives, particularly if they’re unwell or isolated.
07 Jan 2026, 7:33AM UTC
Catastrophic fire danger forecast for Vic after Melbourne’s hottest day in six years
Friday will be a dangerous day for fires in Victoria, with hot and windy weather to cause catastrophic fire danger ratings in the state’s north and west. Heating up in Victoria Wednesday marked the start of three extremely hot days in Vic as a large mass of heat from the Australian interior spreads across the state. 39 weather stations in Vic registered their highest temperature in six to seven years on Wednesday. This included Melbourne, which reached 41.0°C, its highest temperature since January 2020. Places that had their hottest day since 2019 included: 44.3 °C at Longerenong 42.6°C at Edenhope 41.8°C at Hamilton 41.6°C at Casterton Wednesday’s heat contributed to dangerous fire weather that saw emergency warnings issued for blazes in central and northeast Vic, one near Longwood to the northeast of Seymour, and another in the Mount Lawson State Park near the Vic-NSW border. Catastrophic fire weather on the horizon Thursday will be another hot day in northern Vic, with temperatures reaching the low to mid 40s. This heat will contribute to extreme fire danger in the Mallee, Northern Country and North East districts. Southern Vic will have some respite from the heat and fire danger on Thursday under the influence of cooler southerly winds. Conditions will deteriorate on Friday as heat becomes more widespread across Vic amid strengthening north-northwesterly winds ahead of a cold front. Image: Forecast maximum temperature over Vic on Friday. Source: Weatherzone. Temperatures are predicted to reach around 41°C in Melbourne on Friday, which could exceed Wednesday’s maximum in the city. Further north, the mercury could climb to 43°C in Albury-Wodonga and 45°C in Mildura on Friday afternoon. Friday’s hot and windy weather will cause a spike in fire danger, with catastrophic fire danger forecast for the Wimmera, Northern Country and North Central districts. The rest of Vic is predicted to see extreme fire danger ratings on Friday. Image: Forecast fire danger ratings in Vic on Friday, January 9, 2026. Source: Weatherzone. Catastrophic fire danger is the highest category on the Australian scale, meaning these are the most dangerous conditions possible for fires. Vic’s Country Fire Service suggests the following advice for areas with catastrophic bushfire risk: Your life may depend on the decisions you make, even before there is a fire. For your survival, do not be in bushfire risk areas. Stay safe by going to a safer location early in the morning or the night before. Homes cannot withstand fires in these conditions. You may not be able to leave, and help may not be available. Anyone in Vic can keep up to date with the latest fire warnings by visiting the Vic Emergency website.
07 Jan 2026, 2:57AM UTC
How hot each Australian state will get during this week's heatwave
An extremely hot air mass is spreading across Australia this week, causing temperatures to soar into the high forties in some areas. No state or territory will escape this heatwave, and some places could see their hottest run of days in more than five years. Western Australia Australia’s westernmost state has been dealing with widespread intense heat all week as a broad heat trough lingers over the state. Maximum temperatures have already climbed close to 48°C this week, getting as high as 47.8°C at Onslow Airport in the Pilbara on Tuesday. Similar temperatures in the high forties are likely in the Pilbara on Wednesday, with some places possibly exceeding 48°C at the peak of the day’s heat. Temperatures will drop a bit from Thursday but remain hot over the state’s north and interior for the remainder of the week. Perth and other areas in the southwest of WA are escaping this week’s heat, with maximums hovering around the high twenties and low thirties for most of the week. South Australia Extreme heat will be widespread in SA this week, with the three days from Wednesday to Friday expected to see maximum temperatures exceeding 46°C over the state’s inland. The highest temperatures this week are likely to occur in the North East Pastoral district and eastern inland. On Friday, Coober Pedy is forecast to reach 47°C and Renmark is tipped to hit 46°C. Adelaide should reach around 43°C on Wednesday, 39°C on Thursday and 34°C on Friday, before cooling down more substantially from Saturday. Image: Forecast maximum temperatures over SA on Thursday, January 8, 2026. Source: Weatherzone. Victoria Northern Victoria will have three very hot days from Wednesday to Friday, with intense heat also affecting the state’s south on Wednesday and Friday, briefly broken by a somewhat milder day under the influence of southerly winds on Thursday. The Mallee is likely to see the state’s highest temperatures in this heatwave, with forecast maximums of 44°C on Wednesday, 46°C on Thursday and 45°C on Friday. This would be Mildura’s first three-day spell above 44°C since 2018. Melbourne is predicted to reach 42°C on Wednesday, 30°C on Thursday and 40°C on Friday. However, there is potential for both Wednesday and Friday to exceed these forecast maximum temperatures by a degree or two. New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory Most of NSW and the ACT will be hot from Wednesday until Saturday, before the heat retreats to northern NSW on Sunday. The highest temperatures of the week will likely be in the southwest, where Balranald and Wentworth are forecast to hit 46°C on Thursday and Friday. Image: Forecast maximum temperature over Vic, NSW and parts of SA on Friday, January 9, 2026. Source: Weatherzone. Sydney’s west is expected to see temperatures above 40°C from Thursday to Saturday, possibly reaching around 44°C on Saturday afternoon. Further east, the CBD will see temperatures above 30°C from Wednesday to Friday and could have one day around 40°C on Saturday. Parramatta is forecast to exceed 37°C for three consecutive days starting on Thursday, something they haven’t experienced since 2018. Overnight minimum temperatures in the low to mid 20s will provide little opportunity for escaping the warmth in the next few nights too. Canberra’s maximum temperatures will be in the mid to high 30s between Wednesday and Saturday, possibly including a three-day run of 38°C days starting on Thursday. Tasmania The heat will lose a bit of its sting across Bass Strait, although Tasmania will still be warm this week, particularly on Wednesday and Thursday. Temperatures in the state’s east could reach the mid-30s on Wednesday, with Ouse and Campania predicted to hit 34°C. The following days will be slightly cooler. Hobart is forecast to reach 28°C on Wednesday, before dropping to the mid-20s on Thursday and Friday. Queensland The most intense heat will remain south and west of Qld this week, although parts of the state’s southwest will still see characteristically high daytime temperatures. Birdsville is predicted to reach the low to mid 40s between now and Sunday. Brisbane’s daytime temperature will be in the high 20s and low 30s for the rest of the week. Northern Territory Hot air will linger over the NT’s inland for the remainder of this week. Alice Springs is predicted to reach around 43°C on Friday. Darwin is too far north to feel this week’s heatwave, with typical January maximums of around 32°C on the forecast for the rest of the week. Extreme heatwave thresholds for several states This week’s heat will make both days and night uncomfortable for a large area of Australia. Severe heatwave conditions will extend from the north of WA all the way to eastern Tasmania, an area spanning close to 4000 km. Some areas in Vic, NSW, the ACT and SA will endure extreme heatwave conditions, which is the highest category on the Australian heatwave scale. Image: Heatwave severity forecast for the three days starting on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. Source: Weatherzone. While hot weather is a normal part of the Australian summer, heatwaves refer to periods where both maximum and minimum temperatures are unusually hot for a period of three or more days. Heatwaves can lead to heat-related illness and affect infrastructure, including transport and electricity supply. Australia’s heatwave intensity scale has three levels, going from low-intensity, to severe to extreme. Severe heatwaves are generally challenging for vulnerable people, while extreme heatwaves can be a problem for anyone who doesn’t take precautions to keep cool. The Australian Red Cross has tips on how to beat the heat during a heatwave, including staying inside when possible and avoiding sport and exercise during the hottest part of the day. Elevated fire risk This weeks’ heat will also cause extreme fire danger ratings in parts of SA and Vic from Wednesday to Friday and in NSW on Saturday. There also is a chance of isolated catastrophic fire danger ratings in Vic on Friday. Anyone living in SA, Vic and NSW should keep a close eye on fire information during the rest of this week.