South East Australia experienced a heatwave today, Sunday, increasing the risk of bushfires and prompting authorities to issue a ban on lighting any fires in large areas of New South Wales.

The Bureau of Meteorology in Australia stated that temperatures could rise by up to 12 degrees Celsius above average in some areas, with Sydney, the capital of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia, expected to reach 36 degrees.

Australia is facing a severe bushfire season following the recent detection of the El Niño climate phenomenon, which is typically associated with extreme conditions such as bushfires, cyclones, and drought.

The state’s Emergency Services Minister, Jihad Dib, declared the official start of a bushfire danger period, with "scorching" temperatures increasing the risks for the coming week.

Fire authorities also issued nine total fire bans today, Sunday, in parts of the state to reduce the chances of bushfires igniting.

To the south, in Victoria, authorities issued an emergency evacuation order for a rural area in Gippsland, approximately 320 kilometers east of Melbourne, due to a bushfire that has gone out of control.