Heatwave warnings issued across Australia as millions celebrate National Day

Australian authorities have issued a heatwave warning for much of the country as millions celebrate Australia Day.

Temperatures in the southern states of Victoria and South Australia are expected to peak on Tuesday, reaching “the upper 40s”, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

Temperatures hit 48.5C in South Australia on Sunday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology, which warned of fire danger in parts of the country.

Some National Day celebrations on Monday have been canceled due to safety concerns.

In Adelaide, the Australia Day parade and light show have been canceled due to forecasts of extreme heat.

Organizers said: “While this is extremely disappointing for the community, performers and partners, community safety and well-being must come first.”

January 26 is Australia Day, the anniversary of the landing of the British First Fleet in 1788, which began the colonial era.

But for many Aboriginal Australians, the holiday is a reminder of the destruction of their culture under European settlers, who refer to the holiday as “Invasion Day”.

Crowds of people gathered across the country on Monday to hold rallies in support of Australia’s Aboriginal people.

In addition to Victoria and South Australia, heatwave warnings have also been issued in New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.

Many of these warnings will remain in effect until Wednesday.

Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch told the ABC: “Victoria has not seen a heatwave like this in almost 20 years.”

“We saw the conditions prevailing before the 2009 bushfires, so we are making it clear to all Victorians that this is a very serious set of weather conditions.”

On Monday, the Bureau of Meteorology warned of “extreme fire danger” in parts of South Australia and much of southwestern Victoria “due to very hot and dry conditions coupled with moderate to gusty winds”.

Firefighters in Victoria are working to put out a number of fires across the state that have caused evacuations and threatened property.

Hot weather also affected the Australian Open at Melbourne Park. Tennis player Jannik Sinner spotted Feeling cramps on the pitch on SaturdayBefore the game, the game was temporarily suspended due to rising temperatures. Nearly 80,000 fans were warned to be careful in the scorching sun.

Meanwhile, parts of Western Australia were hit by Tropical Cyclone Luana over the weekend. The storm damaged homes and a popular beach resort before weakening as it moved inland.

The Bureau of Meteorology advises people to seek cooler areas such as homes, libraries, community centers or shopping centres. It also tells people to close their windows and draw curtains to prevent heat from entering their homes.