Property has been lost to an emergency-level bushfire in Victoria, as crews scramble to contain the growing blaze ahead of catastrophic fire conditions on Friday.
Two emergency warnings remain in place for a blaze burning at Longwood, in northern Victoria, with residents told to leave immediately before conditions become too dangerous.
It comes as the most intense heatwave forecast to hit Australia in six years descends on south-east Australia.
South Australians will continue to endure scorching temperatures that could peak in the high-40Cs in parts of the state on Thursday after sweltering in 40C heat.
Most of the state faces severe heatwave conditions, with a total fire ban in the mid-north region.
The conditions may be the worst since the 2019-20 summer bushfires that killed more than 30 people and burned through millions of hectares.
After the mercury reached the mid-40s in inland and northern parts of Victoria, and 40C in Melbourne, southern parts of the state will have a slight reprieve on Thursday, but northern areas will have no such luck.
The heat is set to move into the ACT and NSW from Thursday through to the weekend, with the national capital expected to peak at 38C on Thursday and Friday, while Sydney should reach 42C on the final heatwave day on Saturday.
Bushfires and total fire bans
Victoria's Country Fire Authority (CFA) chief officer Jason Heffernan said there are early reports of property losses in Longwood.
"We're getting teams out today to assess that, but early reports coming in to us here indicates that we have some degree of losses," he told ABC TV on Thursday.
CFA crews have confirmed damage to horse paddocks in the region.
A total fire ban is in place for the Mallee, North Central, North East and Northern Country regions on Thursday.
Victorian Emergency Management commissioner Tim Wiebusch said two structures had been confirmed destroyed in the Longwood fire, but it was not yet certain if they were homes.
Victoria faces fire dangers in the upper end of extreme on Friday, with the districts of Wimmera, Northern Country and North Central forecast to meet catastrophic levels, State Control Centre spokesman David Nugent said.
"Catastrophic fire danger rating is the most dangerous set of conditions for us for firefighting," he said.
"If a fire starts and takes hold, lives and homes are likely to be lost."
Forest Fire Management Victoria chief fire officer Chris Hardman warned suppressing fires during Friday's conditions will be impossible when the entire state is expected to face extreme fire danger.
"These are the days where we see lots of assets lost," he said.
It was also a warm day for Tasmania on Wednesday, with low to severe heatwaves building in the state's north-east.
Before Sydneysiders feel the brunt of the 42C peak on Saturday, people with asthma or other respiratory conditions are warned to avoid outdoor exercise as the heatwave is expected to cause poor air quality in the city's south-west and north-west.
The ozone, which can exacerbate lung and health issues, generally builds during hot conditions, peaking in the mid-to-late afternoon and easing off as temperatures fall, according to NSW's environment department.
The Royal Australian College of GPs is urging the public to prioritise hydration, rest indoors and check on people more susceptible to heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Children and pets should never be left alone in cars, as the number of call-outs involving family members locked inside vehicles increased 26 per cent year-on-year, SA's Royal Automobile Association said.
Australia experienced its fourth-warmest year on record in 2025, while 2024 was the nation's second-warmest year.
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