[Source: Reuters]

Australia and New Zealand both face damaging winds and heat this week, with the New Zealand meteorological agency on Wednesday warning conditions will deteriorate on Thursday.

Australia’s weather bureau said the heat wave sweeping in from Australia’s west will move across the southeast of the country on Wednesday with Sydney expected to experience sweltering temperatures around 40 degree Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

“Certainly not out of the question that parts of the city could flirt with 40 degrees today, and we will be very near record temperatures around the Sydney area for this time of year,” Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Angus Hines said.

The weather bureau warned wind gusts of up to 100 kph (62 mph) could hit some areas, raising bushfire threats. A total of 36 fires are burning across New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state, with nine yet to be contained, authorities said.

The fire season in Australia and New Zealand usually runs from November through February, the late southern hemisphere spring through summer.

In New Zealand, firefighters are trying to contain wildfires near Kaikoura on the South Island and in Hawke’s Bay on the North Island, which were fanned by winds on Tuesday, before winds pick up again.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand Assistant National Commander Ken Cooper said 14 buildings had been destroyed near Kaikoura, including five homes. Roads remain closed in the area and evacuation centres have been set up. Officials have not estimated the area burned.

FENZ said in Hawke’s Bay they were making good progress with the four vegetation fires, although it was quite windy, and they were monitoring the weather.

New Zealand’s forecaster MetService said it expects gusts could reach 150 kph along the South Island’s east coast and up to 140 kph around Wellington, the capital, on Thursday. Heavy rain is also forecast for parts of the country.

Authorities said people should stay indoors, avoid travel and prepare for possible power and communications outages.

The warnings follow strong winds and heavy rain on Tuesday that left thousands without power and killed a man in a Wellington park when a tree branch fell on him.

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