High temperatures are set to continue across Australia for the next week, bringing elevated fire dangers but the Bureau of Meteorology says light winds are expected to reduce this, especially inland.
Perth was the first area hit by the heatwave, recording a high of 34 degrees Celsius on Sunday, and with more than 32 degrees forecast for every day until Friday.
By Sunday afternoon a fire raging out of control in Western Australia, just south of Geraldton, had burned through approximately 1,800 hectares and had a perimeter of about 32 km.
Authorities said 136 homes and businesses had lost power and about 120 fire crews were fighting the fire, with extra crews arriving from Perth.
Department of Fire and Emergency Services Mid West Superintendent Mark Bowen told the ABC he expected conditions to remain dangerous and an evacuation warning remained active for severe areas in WA’s mid-west, with residents urged to leave immediately.
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.
Meanwhile in Victoria, conditions are forecast to rise again this week, after a brief moment of relief over the weekend.
A blaze at the Grampians, which has already claimed three houses and burned through 76,000 hectares, remained out of control.
Firefighters began back-burning operations around the Horse Gap area on Sunday afternoon to strengthen containment lines and, while cooler conditions have brought some relief to fire crews, it could be weeks until the fire is fully extinguished given its size and the mountainous terrain.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said on Sunday the damage was still being assessed, with the full impact not yet clear.
She thanked residents in the line of the fire for listening to warnings and taking action to stay safe but reminded Victorians that it was only the “start of a dangerous summer period”.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced during his visit to the Grampians region that bushfire-hit workers and sole traders could apply for 13 weeks of income support .
The payments, available from Monday afternoon, are for workers and sole traders directly impacted by the fire who have experienced loss of income in the following local government areas of Victoria: the Rural City of Ararat, Shire of Macedon Ranges, Shire of Northern Grampians and Shire of Southern Grampians.