Australia- Renewed bushfire warnings for NSW, Victoria and WA as heat forecast to return for the new year. BoM says light winds are expected to temper the fire danger despite high temperatures, especially inland.Guardian Mostafa Rachwani Sun 29 Dec 2024  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.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. “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. High temperatures and strong winds are forecast for towns in the region over the next few days, with nearby Dongara seeing highs in the low 30s through to Friday. Much of the southern and central regions of the state face high fire danger through to New Year’s Day. The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, said on Sunday morning that assessments of the damage were still continuing, and the full impact of the blaze was not yet clear. She thanked those in the path of the fire for listening to warnings and taking action to stay safe. But she reminded Victorians that it was only the “start of a dangerous summer period”.....read on       https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/29/bushfire-warnings-nsw-victoria-tasmania-wa-heat-forecast-new-year