AccuWeather.com's reports an intense heat wave will hit southeastern Australia until the end of the week, which could mean danger to an area already affected by wildfires and severe drought.
Firefighters were able to subdue several fires in Sydney's southwestern outskirts, but several fires north of the city continue to burn, destroying hundreds of hectares.
A lightning storm on Monday was thought to have ignited some of the fires.
"We will be looking for any new ignitions following the lightning storm (on Monday) night," Rebel Talbert, a spokeswoman for the Rural Fire Service, said.
Most of southern and southeastern Australia will be affected by a severe heat wave starting later on in the day Wednesday, local time, and lasting into the weekend.
Temperatures will soar into the triple digits Fahrenheit in and near the city of Adelaide Wednesday and Thursday, Melbourne on Thursday and Friday and Sydney on Friday and Saturday. In the Outback, temperatures will soar to 115 degrees.
The Australian Government's Bureau of Meteorology has issued a fire weather warning and total fire ban for the state of New South Wales, which alerts residents to "prepare for the emotional, mental and physical impact of defending your property - if in doubt, leave."
A bushfire is also currently affecting more than half of the landmass of the Queensland Cape York Wilderness in the north of the country.
The Bureau of Meteorology reported serious to severe rainfall deficiencies from July to October 2009 for much of Queensland, parts of southern and western New South Wales and the southern coast of Western Australia.
Story By AccuWeather.com writer Gina Cherundolo
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