Fire risks across several states as March heat sizzles

Unseasonal autumn heat is impacting large parts of the country today, with fire authorities in several states issuing warnings for hot and windy conditions.

Victorians have been warned to remain alert to the conditions with a total fire ban in place for Saturday.

Melbourne is forecast to reach 37C, while northern regions could exceed 40C.

Wind gusts of up to 45km/h are also forecast.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued fire weather warnings for the Wimmera, North Central, South West and Central fire weather districts.

Country Fire Authority chief officer Jason Heffernan said residents in those areas should have a fire survival plan ready to go in case the worst happened.

"Fires will occur and if they do occur, they will move incredibly fast and you will be required to take action."

The BOM has issued a severe wind warning for people in the Central, North Central and South West Forecast Districts of Victoria.

In New South Wales, there are strong wind warnings in place for coastal areas south of Sydney including Batemans Bay and the Illawarra.

Sydneysiders are being warned to take care in the heat, with temperatures in western suburbs including Penrith climbing into the high 30's today and tomorrow. 

The weather bureau says daily maximums in NSW this March have climbed as much as 15 degrees Celsius above the long-term average.

The Rural Fire Service is still battling a blaze in the southern tablelands that was burning out of control earlier this week and has destroyed at least one home. 

The Craigs Road fire has so far scorched more than 3400ha, with concerns today's strong winds could worsen conditions.

Queenslanders are in the middle of a sweaty three-day heatwave that began on Friday, with heatwave warnings in place from the state's south-east, spreading to southern inland areas throughout the weekend.

The weather bureau said the severe heatwave warnings have been cancelled, but that low-intensity heatwave conditions will continue until early next week.

Queensland fire and emergency services have an advice warning in place to avoid smoke spreading from a fire burning at Inglewood, in the Goondiwindi Region.

There are also at least eight flood warnings for Queensland after recent heavy rains.

Wind warnings are in place for Tasmania, Western Australia and South Australia, with SA seeing extreme fire danger warnings for the Flinders, Mid North and Riverland areas.

The bureau this week declared an end to the cooler, wetter La Nina weather pattern and issued a watch for El Nino, which is associated with drier conditions in Australia and an increased fire risk.