Renewed bushfire warnings for NSW, Victoria and WA as heat forecast to return for new year
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BoM says light winds are expected to temper the fire danger despite high temperatures, especially inland. Scorching temperatures and elevated fire dangers are forecast for the coming week as Australia rings in the new year – but light winds could protect towns from blazes becoming too severe.
![[Victoria fires: 'difficult’ weather for firefighters as 55,000 hectares burn in Grampians - video]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/177177454db036cee0af6c16fc1c4531f7b6d53b/0_546_6922_3894/6922.jpg?width=465&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
Perth was the first hit by the heatwave, with a high of 34C recorded on Sunday, and maximums above 32C forecast for every day until Friday. An out of control fire in Western Australia’s midwest, just south of Geraldton, had burned through about 1,800 hectares by Sunday afternoon.
Sarah Scully, senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, said the conditions were expected to stretch out over much of the continent’s south-east and midwest as the week went on. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email. “The main areas of concern were the midwest regions of Western Australia, where gusty winds along with hot and dry conditions are elevating fire dangers,” she said.
“As we head into next week, there’s generally a high fire danger extending across southern parts of the country, apart from eastern Victoria and Tasmania.”. The high fire danger will remain active for much of New South Wales over the next week and into the new year, fuelled by ongoing high temperatures.
