Victorian residents are warned to brace for a severe heatwave expected to push temperatures close to record highs. South Australia and parts of New South Wales also face scorching heat as a "dome of heat" moves east, said Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Kevin Parkyn. The heatwave starts Saturday, bringing at least five days with temperatures above 40°C in inland SA, Victoria, and NSW. Adelaide may reach 42°C, Port Augusta 46°C, and Melbourne 40°C before a cooling wind on Sunday. Northern Victoria, near Mildura, could hit a blistering 48°C. Parkyn noted, "Many centres are probably going to approach their all-time maximum records. This is quite a significant day on Tuesday." No meaningful rain is forecast for two weeks. Extreme fire danger warnings are in place for southwest Victoria, Wimmera, and South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula and Mount Lofty Ranges. Seven major active fires continue burning in Victoria, with the Longwood fire already destroying 320 homes and 144,000 hectares. Country Fire Authority chief Jason Heffernan warned that "the sheer heat and the topography of the landscape" could cause rapid fire spreading despite calm winds. The extreme fire danger will spread to southern NSW and the ACT by Sunday. Western Australia is also reeling from record-breaking heat, with Shark Bay reaching 49.2°C and Carnarvon hitting a new high of 47.9°C. A tropical cyclone watch is out for Tropical Low 16U near Broome. The Bureau forecasts ongoing hotter-than-average days and nights nationwide until April, as Australia experienced its fourth-warmest year on record in 2025, intensified by the climate crisis.