As a result of an autumn heatwave, temperatures have reached 40C in eastern Australia. Schools were forced to close because of the threat of fires.

Sydney had its hottest day for more than two decades, with temperatures of 37.6 degrees (99.7F). Nearly 40 bushfires broke out and many people went to the beach to take advantage of the scorching heat.

Penrith, 35 miles west from Sydney was at 40.1C on Monday afternoon. Some inland cities were closer to 41C (105.8F).

Nearly 40 bushfires erupted in New South Wales, which is home to a third of Australians. Hundreds of firefighters battled to save some houses and buildings.

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The aircraft supported the crews on the ground while residents were advised to leave as fires continued to spread quickly.

Due to severe heat, around 35 schools in NSW were shut down.

Angela Burford is the NSW Rural Fire Service’s operational officer. She told the Australian Broadcasting Corp that if a fire starts, it will be burning in those difficult conditions …[ making it harder for firefighters to control them. Fire can quickly spread, especially in grassland.

According to the fire service, “hundreds” of firefighters were “occupied today” in the state. They also stated that the work would “continue well into night.”

The Bureau of Meteorology stated that dry thunderstorms can also be possible in eastern NSW. This could lead to lightning-igniting fires.

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Officials stated that extreme conditions could pose the greatest fire risk since the fires in 2020.

It is likely that the hot and dry conditions will continue until Wednesday.

The La Nina weather phenomenon, usually associated with higher rainfall, has dominated Australia’s east coast over the past two years. This has resulted in record-breaking rains as well as widespread flooding.

Sydney saw its highest precipitation since 1858 when records were first kept.

However, the weather bureau said last week that its climate models suggested that La Nina was “likely close to its end”.

Experts said neutral conditions, which are neither La Nina nor its opposite El Nino were likely to prevail throughout the southern hemisphere fall.