Parts of Australia will face catastrophic fire conditions on Friday, when heatwaves are expected to hit most of the country.
Severe to extreme heatwaves have been declared in every state and territory in Australia, except for Queensland, with high temperatures forecast for days.
The state of Victoria has declared a total fire ban for Friday, as the fire danger rating will be set at catastrophic - the highest level. Some 450 schools and childcare centres will be closed.
One meteorologist told the BBC that the combination of heatwaves and an elevated fire danger in parts of the country could create the most significant conditions since the devastating Black Summer bushfires.
On Thursday, firefighters battled several blazes in Victoria and New South Wales (NSW), with a dozen planes carrying water called in to tackle a large fire near the city of Wodonga, the ABC reported.
Melbourne experienced its hottest day in six years on Wednesday with a high of 40.9C (105.6F), while some coastal towns in Western Australia hit 49C.
In NSW, the heatwave is expected to peak on Saturday with Sydney facing a high of 42C while areas of South Australia and Western Australia will see temperatures over 40C in the coming days.
Friday will be the real peak of the current burst of heat, Angus Hines from the Bureau of Meteorology told the BBC.
He warned that conditions will worsen with strengthening winds and potential dry lightning strikes contributing to the already high risks of fires.
The catastrophic fire danger rating in Victoria means potential blazes can be unpredictable and uncontrollable according to local authorities. Residents are urged to prepare their bushfire survival plans and evacuate to safer areas as necessary.
Australia's fire danger ratings scale has four levels, with catastrophic being the highest level, followed by extreme, high, and low.
A heatwave is declared when the minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to be unusually high for three days or more.
