Dozens of fires are burning across NSW, with firefighters on high alert amid a record-breaking September heatwave.
There are currently 66 fires burning across the state, all of them at the advice level.
A bushfire has broken out at the Monkerai Nature Reserve, near Dungog. Fire crews have managed to contain four fires.
Two fires have caused concern today – one burning at Point Piper Road in Eraring in Lake Macquarie and another at Silverwater Road in Wallacia.
Waterbombing aircraft have been called to the fire in Wallacia, while Silverwater Road has been closed.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast a top of 35 degrees for the NSW capital, which will be the second day in a row.
Sydney has never, until today, recorded two days of 34 degrees or more in a row, in September.
Records dating back to 1859 in fact show that before this week, Sydney had only reached 34 degrees in September three times, according to Weatherzone’s Ben Domensino.
A total fire ban is in place for Greater Sydney, the Hunter, and the Upper Central West regions, and national parks around the Sydney region will also close.
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Temperatures are set to drop after today, with a forecast maximum of 22 degrees for Sydney on Thursday, followed by a top of 19 degrees on Friday.
El Niño signals scorching summer
“This summer will be hotter than average and certainly hotter than the last three years,” the bureau’s Dr Karl Braganza said.
Water bombers called in to fight Queensland bushfires
Australia’s last El Niño event occurred during the summer of 2015-16.
Climate model outlooks suggest the El Niño period is likely to continue until at least the end of the southern hemisphere summer at the end of February.
Australia is likely to experience hotter and drier weather than in recent years, along with an elevated bushfire risk.
