Weather alert: SES, BOM, RFS issue warnings as helicopters scrambled to fight fires during ‘heat bubble’

Sweltering conditions and weeks of dry weather have officials on high alert as Australia experiences a spring heatwave that could have catastrophic results.

As millions across the eastern seaboard in New South Wales, Queensland and into Victoria and South Australia prepare for blistering temperature surges on Wednesday and Thursday, accompanying storms and severe wind gusts have given emergency services cause to lift their alert rating.

Sydney-siders displayed some scepticism about the temperature spike on Wednesday morning, but as the cloud burned away as the day progressed, the mercury began to rise alarmingly fast, reinforcing the Bureau of Meteorology’s warnings.

Predictions are for a top of 38C on Wednesday, with Newcastle (39C) and Wollongong (36C) also in the firing line, with at least three dozen fires already burning across NSW and an extreme fire rating.

“We already have machines fighting fires on two fronts in the Hunter Valley and we are preparing for the worst in the Sydney area,” Sydney Helicopters Operations Manager Adam Schofield told The Nightly.

“The Rural Fire Service (RFS) have raised our alert level to PDD (pre-dispatch deployment) and we are gearing up a water tanking helicopter to support in fighting fires across the Sydney basin,” Mr Schofield added.

The bushfire season has come a bit later in 2025, and coupled with the unusual spring heatwave and dry conditions, predictions from the RFS have unfortunately been right on the money.

“The RFS modelling which we adhere to suggested that this year the chances of extreme weather and bushfires would most likely experience a spike in late October and into November,” Mr Schofield said.

“The predictions have been spot on it seems. We usually have some activity a bit earlier, but it has all come later this year.

“Obviously, it will get warmer into summer, but this is a combination that could present some problems.”

A Total Fire Ban from the RFS is in place for the Greater Sydney, Illawarra/Shoalhaven, Greater Hunter, Upper Central West Plains and North Western areas.

A frontal system moving across NSW on Wednesday will bring severe north to northwesterly winds across much of the state and will shift more westerly and extend to the coast during the afternoon and evening, according to the BOM.

Senior meteorologist at the BOM, Angus Hines, says these are conditions that could be disastrous.

“The conditions and particularly the winds and a bubble of heat stretching across Australia are a combination you don’t want to play around with,” Mr Hines said.

“The all-time temperatures were delivering heatwave conditions and elevated fire danger.”

Conditions are expected to begin to ease about southern warning areas late Wednesday evening, easing about central areas early Thursday morning.

Queensland, NSW and South Australia posted their hottest October days on record on Tuesday, with the mercury hitting 46.1C in Birdsville, 44.8C in Bourke and 45C at Moomba Airport.

NSW authorities warned walking tracks and remote campgrounds in national parks across the state could be closed “at short notice” if conditions worsen on Wednesday.

Relief from the heat is expected to arrive across NSW and southern Australia on Thursday but those in the north won’t be so lucky, with temperatures tipped to remain high on Friday and into the weekend.

It won’t be quite as hot in Darwin (35C), Canberra (31C), Brisbane (30C) and Melbourne (23C) on Wednesday.

Melburnians and Victorians have instead been told to brace for destructive winds and a risk of thunderstorm asthma conditions.

Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch said damaging winds were forecast to hit Victoria’s west on Wednesday morning and reach the state’s east in the afternoon.

“We’re asking Victorians to ensure that they are prepared for power outages,” he told reporters.

“That means be aware of fallen powerlines that may be on the ground but also ensure that you’ve charged your mobile devices.”