A heatwave is due to sweep Australia, experts warn, as emergency crews battle raging bushfires in the west.
Western Australia, the Northern Territory and parts of New South Wales and Victoria will see temperatures near or above 40C (104F).
It comes as Western Australia is already experiencing one of its worst seasons for bushfires.
Fire crews say the largest blaze near the town of Northcliffe is still raging but rain has helped contain the flames.
Smoke from the fires was reported to be blanketing the city of Perth on Friday.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology said a very large and slow-moving mass of hot air currently over Western Australia was causing a build-up of heat.
“Severe heatwave conditions are forecast to spread to the east, with the Northern Territory seeing temperatures well above average over the weekend,” it said.
Southern New South Wales and north-western Victoria are also likely to be affected.
Forecasters said that Marble Bar, in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, will not see temperatures fall below 43C over the next week, and warned of a high of 48C on Wednesday.
