SYDNEY: Authorities on Monday declared an extreme fire risk across Sydney due to forecast high temperatures and dry lightning storms.
The Rural Fire Service in the state of New South Wales (NSW) on Monday implemented a total fire ban for Greater Sydney and the neighboring Greater Hunter region, urging residents to take immediate action to protect their lives and property.
The Bureau of Meteorology forecast that the maximum temperature would reach 35 degrees Celsius in central Sydney on Monday afternoon, with temperatures of up to 37 degrees Celsius forecast for the city's western suburbs.
"Gusty winds from the Outback will blow across Sydney today, bringing dry desert air, and pushing temperatures into the mid or even upper 30s," the weather bureau said.
