The winds will then move into NSW on Saturday, increasing fire risk.
“We’re expecting widespread extreme fire danger ratings across NSW and the ACT for tomorrow, so no districts currently at the catastrophic level,” a BoM spokesperson said.
NSW firefighters in the Victorian town of Yea on Friday.Credit: Eddie Jim
A firefighting helicopter battles the Longwood, Victoria bushfire on Thursday.Credit: State Control Centre
“There will also be some increased winds across these regions as the passage of the front moves up and around into NSW, making it challenging for firefighters on the ground.”
NSW Rural Fire Service are monitoring, Commissioner Trent Curtin said volunteers were helping south of the border.
“We’ve sent a lot of crews into Victoria today to support them with their catastrophic conditions,” he told this masthead.
People cool off at Bronte during the sweltering weather on Friday.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
“We’ve got a lot of aircraft available to support that, so whilst we don’t expect that fire to cross the border we are prepared in the event it might.”
The Murray River that comprises much of the border between the states does help to limit the spread.
“It’s a natural break there, that fire would have to jump quite a long way, but it is possible,” Curtin said. “Under these conditions, embers can travel quite a long way.”
Dylan Calder and Jesse, 2, at Waves Aquatic and Fitness Centre’s Splash Pad in Baulkham Hills.Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong
Locals seek shelter in a shaded breezy spot in the Narrabeen Beach car park.Credit: Max Mason-Hubers
Curtin encouraged those who have not already done so to download the Hazards Near Me app and to monitor conditions regularly amid expected high heat and strong winds.
“It’s really important that everyone’s prepared for extreme fire conditions,” he said.
In most parts of Sydney, temperatures has passed into the mid-30s and 40s on Friday as the heatwave continued to build, with the top temperature of 42.2 degrees recorded at Penrith.
A swimmer takes a dip at Parriwi Beach in Mosman on Friday during Sydney’s heatwave.Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong
Sydney will bake again on Saturday as temperatures reach as high as 42 degrees in the city and 43 degrees in the west.
The heatwave is expected to ease when a south-west to southerly change brings milder temperatures on Sunday, when a maximum of 25 degrees is forecast for Penrith and 26 degrees for the city.
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