An emergency warning has been issued for parts of the country with extreme hot weather conditions predicted.
Temperatures are set to soar this week with cities such as Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, Darwin, Canberra and Brisbane to reach at least 35°C.
South Australia’s State Emergency Service (SES) issued a community readiness alert on Sunday.
The state is predicted temperatures in the low 40s the entire week.
The alert urged communities to check on their elderly and young family members, keep their home cool, look after their pets and be prepared for power outages.
Temperatures are set to soar this week with cities such as Adelaide , Perth , Melbourne , Darwin, Canberra and Brisbane to reach at least 35°C. The dark purple in the map above shows temperatures above 30 degrees
Some parts of the country will be under extreme heatwave conditions. The map above shows the forecast for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
SES also suggested people buy their food and medications for a week so they won’t need to go out in the heat.
South Australia Health has also echoed the sentiment.
‘Alcohol is not a hydration source. Essentially, water is the best thing … be mindful of that, especially as the Christmas party season starts to ramp up,’ acting chief health officer Chris Lease told the ABC.
‘Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are a real risk. The body struggles to cope with temperatures above 35°C.’
Senior forecaster Tom Boeck said temperatures across the country are ‘up there’.
‘With that, there will obviously be increasing fire danger … probably peaking towards the later part of the week with winds also increasing and that’ll be ahead of a change,’ he said.
Several towns across South Australia are expected to set new December records.
Areas such as the Eyre Peninsula and Ceduna are expected to hit 49°C over the week.
South Australia’s State Emergency Service (SES) issued a community readiness alert on Sunday
Australians have been warned to keep cool as temperatures are set to spike throughout the week
A South Australia Bureau of Meteorology forecaster told Daily Mail Australia Friday is a concern with a maximum of 44°C predicted for Adelaide
‘Friday is concerning from a fire perspective with a low of 27°C and a maximum of 44°C expected,’ the spokesman said.
‘We do predict a change on Friday afternoon that could bring a shower or thunderstorm.
‘On Saturday the maximum will drop to 26°C on the back of that change.’
The BOM spokesman said they haven’t issued a heatwave warning due to the low minimums but the bureau will reassess on Monday.
Meanwhile temperatures in Queensland will be 10°C higher than last year, according to Nine.
Places such as Ipswich and Gatton are expected to push temperatures of 43°C.
Sydney faces cooler temperatures mixed with smoke haze due to bushfires burning around the state, which prompted health warnings last week.
South Australians are being urged to stay hydrated and keep out of the heat as temperatures will be in the low 40s
In New South Wales the Gospers Mountain fire, which is creeping towards 400,000 hectares in size, was at ‘watch-and-act’ level early on Monday after firefighters worked overnight to contain the blaze around Mt Wilson, Mt Tomah and Berambing.
It stretches from the Lithgow area in the west, through the Hawkesbury area and towards the Central Coast in the east.
NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons described it as an ‘awful scenario’.
A heatwave forecast for this week will make for an ‘extraordinary amount of work still to go’, he added.
A bushfire emergency remains in place for areas north of Perth where a bushfire has been burning out of control for six days (Yanchep fire pictured)
A 70-metre high wall of flames bore down in the Blue Mountains, north-west of Sydney overnight
The Gospers Mountain fire (pictured), which is creeping towards 400,000 hectares in size, was at ‘watch-and-act’ level early on Monday
Emergency fire conditions are also being faced across the country.
A bushfire emergency remains in place for areas north of Perth where a bushfire has been burning out of control for six days.
The fire is still threatening lives and homes at Woodridge, Seatrees and Breakwater Estates with authorities declaring it contained but not controlled.
It has destroyed almost 13,000 hectares and is and being battled by more than 300 firefighters.
‘The fire remains stationary, however, the threat remains due to activity within the fire ground,’ the Western Australia Department of Fire and Emergency Services said on Monday.
‘Forecast weather conditions mean there is still a high risk of flare-ups as winds strengthen.’