Fierce Winds, Extreme Heat Spark Wildfires Across Australia and New Zealand
Severe hot winds sweeping across Australia and New Zealand have triggered multiple wildfires and record-breaking spring temperatures, prompting widespread fire bans and emergency warnings.
Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology reported that a mass of hot air moving from the country’s interior towards the southeast has intensified the heatwave, with gusts reaching up to 100 kilometres per hour. At least 36 fires are currently burning across New South Wales, nine of which remain uncontained. Nearly 2,000 properties have also experienced power outages.
In Sydney, temperatures soared above 37°C in the central business district, while western suburbs such as Penrith and Bankstown neared 40°C — the hottest October temperatures ever recorded in the region. Meteorologists warned that such intense heat so early in spring signals a potentially severe fire season ahead, typically running from November to February.
Across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand authorities issued rare “red” wind warnings — the highest level of alert — for central and southern regions. Wildfires have already destroyed several properties in Kaikoura on the South Island and in Hawke’s Bay on the North Island. At least five homes were confirmed lost.
The New Zealand government declared a state of emergency in the Canterbury region to support firefighting and emergency response operations. The national forecaster, MetService, said gusts could reach 150 kilometres per hour along the South Island’s east coast and up to 140 kilometres per hour around the capital, Wellington. Heavy rainfall is also expected in some areas.
Authorities in both countries have urged residents to remain indoors, avoid unnecessary travel, and prepare for potential power and communication outages. The extreme weather follows a day of strong winds and rain that left thousands without electricity in New Zealand and caused one fatality in Wellington when a falling tree branch struck a man in a park.
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