‘The most dangerous day’: bushfires break out in Victoria as BoM warns of catastrophic conditions to come

Temperatures recorded by Thursday lunchtime included 44.9C at Tarcoola in SA, 45.8C at Hopetoun airport in Victoria, 43.7C at Paraburdoo, WA and 43C at Hay, NSW

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Victoria’s Hume highway has closed, regional trains have been cancelled and firefighters from at least two states are battling blazes in the worst heatwave to descend on Australia since black summer.

As Melbourne prepares for a forecasted 41C day on Friday, acting premier, Ben Carroll, described Victoria as “one of the most bushfire prone areas in the world”.