Melbourne is bracing itself for an unprecedented heatwave as it becomes one of the first major cities in southeastern Australia to experience this extreme weather event.

Temperatures in Victoria’s capital are expected to soar to 42 degrees Celsius today, surpassing the previous high of 40 degrees recorded in January 2020 during the catastrophic Black Summer fires.

While residents of Melbourne and Adelaide will endure intense heat, the interior regions are set to experience even more severe temperatures.

The regional hub of Mildura, located in northwest Victoria, is forecasted to reach a scorching 45 degrees over the next three days. Similarly, Renmark in South Australia’s Riverland region is anticipated to hit a high of 46 degrees.

In response, Victoria’s CFA has declared a total fire ban for the Wimmera, South West, and Central fire districts today.

Authorities in Victoria are particularly concerned about heightened fire risks on Friday, with forecasts predicting temperatures around 40 degrees or higher, coupled with winds reaching speeds of 40km/h to 70km/h.

Wind changes will make the job of firefighters controlling any bushfires much harder.

CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan urged residents to be prepared.

“It is really important people take the actions needed to protect themselves and their family, and that preparedness starts early.

“Understand how the increased fire risk will impact you and ensure your fire plan covers all possible contingencies. Download the VicEmergency App to stay well informed.”

Sydney and large parts of NSW will also be blanketed by a heatwave until the end of this week.

The NSW capital will sweat through multiple days in the mid-30s, while Saturday is expected to bring the warmest temperatures in Sydney with a top of 39 degrees. Some inland parts of NSW may nudge 40 degrees over the next few days.

Deputy Coordinator-General of the National Emergency Management Agency Katarina Carroll said the heatwave conditions will last until the weekend.

She told Today this morning that more people die from heat-related conditions than any other natural disaster.

“You have to prepare for those four days. So stay hydrated .. wherever you can, keep cool as much as you can and look after the vulnerable.

“That is incredibly important the children, the elderly and listen to local emergency services.”