Australia’s eastern states are experiencing unseasonably high temperatures as early spring begins, prompting fire bans and raising concerns about extreme weather conditions. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) reported that parts of north-eastern New South Wales and south-east Queensland are facing temperatures in the low to mid-30s, with Brisbane forecast to reach 34°C. This would mark the hottest September day in Brisbane since 2019. In contrast, Sydney saw a slight reprieve, with temperatures expected to peak at 23°C as the heat moved northward. Earlier in the day, Brisbane recorded a temperature of 31.6°C, while the suburb of Amberley in Ipswich hit 35.7°C. The Queensland fire department has issued local fire bans in areas like Ipswich and the Lockyer Valley due to the extreme heat, which is pushing the state close to breaking records for the highest temperatures in early September. Although areas from Gladstone to the Gold Coast are unlikely to surpass the current records, the state has already experienced its third-warmest winter on record, with temperatures 1.8°C above the long-term average. BoM meteorologist Jonathan How noted that a cold front had swept across south-eastern Australia in the past 24 hours, bringing damaging winds, rain, and storms. However, parts of eastern New South Wales saw their warmest early spring day on record during this period. A dry cool change is expected to move up the east coast, bringing milder temperatures by Monday. Meanwhile, Western Australia is set to receive more rain this week, and Tasmania and Victoria can expect some showers. These weather patterns come after a similar fire ban was issued in the greater Sydney region, where early spring temperatures reached 33°C on Saturday. In Sydney, the maximum temperatures during the first days of September matched the midsummer average of 26.4°C, making it the warmest start to spring since record-keeping began. Severe weather warnings were in place across south-eastern Australia over the weekend, as strong winds contributed to the extreme conditions. In two separate incidents in New South Wales and Victoria, jumping castles were lifted by the wind, resulting in injuries. In Sydney’s south, two children were treated for head injuries and taken to the hospital, while an infant with minor injuries was also hospitalised. In Victoria, two children in Mount Duneed were hospitalised after their jumping castle was lifted into the air. Temperatures are expected to drop in the coming days across both New South Wales and Queensland, offering some relief from the current heatwave.