Six people were lost in the massive landslide at the beachside park.

Millions of Australians are set to swelter through blistering heatwave conditions over the long weekend, putting authorities on high alert.

Temperatures are soaring across southeastern parts of the country today, with the mercury heading for 40 degrees in Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.

Temperatures in Adelaide will soar to 37 degrees today and soar to 45 tomorrow, while inland parts of SA could reach 48 degrees.

READ MORE: Fire nearly doubles in size as Victoria endures heatwave not seen in almost two decades

Annual Adelaide Australia Day event The Aus Lights on the River and the evening fireworks have been cancelled because of the heat. Usually around 25,000 spectators take in the annual event.

Brisbane will hit a high of 35 today before creeping up to 37 degrees for Australia Day.

Canberra is forecast to nudge 40 degrees this afternoon – the hottest in the country today.

Fire authorities in Victoria are asking residents across the state ot heed emergency service warnings, as extreme-to-severe heatwave conditions cause bushfires in the landscape to flare.

"We have not seen severe to extreme intensity heat wave conditions like we are going to experience over the next seven days since 2009," Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch said.

"Take heed of the warnings, look after yourself, look after your family, those that are vulnerable."

Emergency services were forced to issue an urgent reminder not to leave children, pets or older people unattended in vehicles after paramedics responded to 11 cases of children locked in hot cars across Melbourne and regional Victoria.

"The temperature inside a vehicle can double and become deadly within minutes," Ambulance Victoria Director of Emergency Management Dale Armstrong said.

"It is particularly dangerous for children to be left inside vehicles, as a child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult."

The mercury surpassed 38 degrees in Melbourne yesterday, while temperatures soared beyond 46 degrees in parts of northern Victoria.

The city is headed for a top of 43 degrees on Tuesday, while northern parts of the state could hit record-breaking highs of 48 degrees.

"If you are on the coast you will see a bit of relief coming through on Tuesday, but that does mean we are expecting some very hot days on the way," Bureau of Meteorology's Jonathan How said.

"Anywhere inland, unfortunately relief only comes at the end of the week, even into next weekend, so we are looking at a run of five to seven days above 40 degrees and some locations even above 45 degrees, even pushing towards 50 degrees."

While Australians on the east coast prepare to sweat through the week, those in the west are dealing with the impact of a second tropical cyclone in a matter of weeks.

Tropical Cyclone Luana made landfall as a Category 2 system when it made landfall along the Dampier Peninsula north of Broome.

Wind gusts up to 106km/h were recorded north of Broome, in Lombadina, along with more than 100 millimetres of rain since midnight yesterday.

The storm has since weakened to a category 1 system moving inland.

Residents along the Kimberley coast should expect heavy rainfall and damaging winds over the long weekend, which is only expected to ease from Tuesday.

Fire authorities are urging Victorians to heed health and safety warnings over the next week, as the state swelters through severe to extreme heatwave conditions not seen in nearly 20 years.

The temperatures are so extreme the state could even experience its hottest day ever on Tuesday with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting the town of Ouyen could reach 49 degrees.

Residents in the state's southwest were earlier forced to take immediate shelter after an existing bushfire flared up in extreme heat yesterday and broke containment lines.

Authorities have warned a bushfire in the Otways, at Carlisle River nearly doubled in size overnight and is within one kilometre of Gellibrand.

READ MORE: Your guide to what's open on Australia Day

The blaze is travelling from the west of Gellibrand in an easterly direction towards the town.

An emergency warning for residents in Gellibrand and Carlisle River has now been downgraded to a watch and act but it is not safe to return.

Residents in Barongarook West, Carlisle River, Gellibrand, Irrewillipe and Irrewillipe East were urged to evacuate last night as the fire moved in a southerly direction.

Aircraft and emergency response crews spent the night trying to quell the spread of the fire.

"Certainly we could see some losses as a result of the fire activity," FFMVic Chief Fire Officer Chris Hardman warned.

The fire was spurred on by sweltering conditions across Victoria yesterday, which marked the start of a potentially record-breaking run of heatwave conditions.

"We're now likely to see seven consecutive days in the north of our state where temperatures during the day will be 40 or above and heading towards 50 degrees in some cases," Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch said.

"We have not seen severe to extreme intensity heat wave conditions like we are going to experience over the next seven days since 2009."

"Take heed of the warnings, look after yourself, look after your family, those that are vulnerable."

There are 14 other watch and act warnings in place across Victoria, including for fires burning at Walwa in the state's north-east, and at Dargo in Gippsland.

Hardman warned conditions in coming days would make it "increasingly challenging" for firefighters to keep the Walwa blaze within its containment lines.

"We could see that fire escape its containment lines and move to the south," Hardman said.

"Although there is no large communities at risk, this is one to watch in the weeks ahead."

READ MORE: Police respond to potential sighting of accused triple murderer Julian Ingram in western NSW

The mercury surpassed 38 degrees in both Melbourne and the south-west of the state yesterday, while temperatures soared into the 40s in the Mallee region. 

Melburnians today awoke to a thick blanket of smoke that has drifted from the Gellibrand blaze in the state's south-west.

Air quality across the city is labelled "very poor", with warnings in place for individuals with heart and lung conditions.

The haze should ease in Melbourne and Geelong this evening but southerly winds may shift the smoke north towards Ballarat.

While the south-west coast is expected to receive a reprieve from the heat today, temperatures in northern Victoria will continue to soar.

A Total Fire Ban has been declared today for the Northern Country, North Central, North East and East Gippsland districts.

An extreme fire danger rating is in place for the North East.

Fire danger is expected to remain high for several days to come with a number of locations headed for seven consecutive days above 40 degrees.

"Tuesday in particular is the next big day of concern with regards to fire weather conditions," Bureau of Meteorology's Diana Eadie said.

"We're also forecasting potentially record-breaking temperatures, particularly in western parts of the state."

Hopetoun, Walpeup and Mildura are all set to reach 48 degrees on Tuesday, while it could reach 47 degrees in Horsham and 46 degrees in Hamilton.

The mercury is expected to soar to 43 degrees in Melbourne on Tuesday, with a cool change from the south-west not expected to arrive in the city until 10pm.

Police have swarmed a location in western NSW following a possible sighting of accused triple murderer Julian Ingram.

The fugitive, also known as Julian Pierpoint, has been on the run for five days after three people were gunned down and another was seriously injured in Lake Cargelligo.

Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland said tactical police and the air wing deployed immediately after "public witnesses" reported seeing Ingram in the Mt Hope area, north-west of Lake Cargelligo, in the early hours of this morning.

Warning: This article contains the name and image of an Indigenous person who has died.

READ MORE: 'Lost his grip': Man dies after falling from Sydney balcony

"Tactical police are in that location now carrying out searches of multiple properties in the area," Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland said.

"Obviously with an armed offender in that area we are asking for members of the public to exercise extreme caution.

The sighting has not been confirmed, Holland said, but officers will continue to search the area "until we're clear those areas are safe".

The Mt Hope area is not in lockdown, but Holland have asked locals to "be careful about their movements" and report unusual activity to police.

Police have also updated the description of the Ute he is believed to travelling in, to a white single-cab Ford Ranger utility trayback with registration DN07GZ.

Police believe Ingram is "on his own at the present time", but Holland said they couldn't rule out the possibility he is being helped by locals.

"What we've seen from last night is the information that there may be a possibility that the offender will move at night, obviously in cooler periods, hence why we have PolAir stationed in the area," Holland said.

READ MORE: AI road safety cameras nab more than 83,000 WA drivers

Police have spent the week searching a "very broad" area of the NSW central west surrounding Lake Cargelligo.

"We get information about where locations are, and it may be a property that consists of 400 or 500 hectares," NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland said.

The 37-year-old's home in town – a two minute drive from where it is alleged he shot and killed his pregnant ex-partner Sophie Quinn and her friend John Harris before traveling to Sophie's aunties place and killing her too – was turned upside down by police.

A 19-year-old was there and came face-to-face with the gunman. The 19-year-old's mother told 9News it was a case of being in the wrong place as the wrong time for her son.

"He said he was just there visiting, went out to put a light bulb in the back of his car, and the shots were fired," she said.

"All he remembers is jumping to the side."

He is recovering after he was airlifted to hospital.

"He's fine, he had surgery yesterday," she said.

"They removed pellets from his shoulder, hip and the back of his leg, and he's got a broken hand but hopefully he's on his way home."

May be receiving help

Officers are widening their search for the killer, moving through rural properties across the region, warning he is dangerous.

"We're looking at other locations in the broader districts from information supplied to police at this time."

Authorities say the suspect may even be receiving help.

"There is the possibility that people are assisting him to avoid police apprehension," Holland said.

More than 100 officers have been involved in search efforts both on the ground and from the air, battling extreme heat.

Senior police sources told 9News they have a checklist of areas where they've been focusing their search.

These have included Griffith, where many of Ingram's relatives live, and Euabalong, where he is known to frequent, but they've had little success.

The added issue for police is that Ingram is known to be an experienced bushman who can survive in remote areas with little-to-no resources.

In the coming days, police plan to expand their search area and increase their resources to leave no stone unturned in their search for the alleged killers.

Out on bail

Ingram was out on bail on alleged domestic violence charges at the time of the incident.

The 37-year-old's criminal record stretches back ten years.

Police granted him bail but slapped him with an apprehended domestic violence order which banned him from going within 100 metres of Quinn.

"When bail was made back in November there was a risk assessment done at the time, at that time the risk was deemed suitable," Holland said.

Eight weeks later – after reporting for bail in the morning – Ingram allegedly shot dead Sophie and two others.

Despite his history, Ingram didn't meet the threshold for the government's tough new laws, introduced after Molly Ticehurst was murdered by a former partner who was out on bail.

The reforms only apply to serious domestic violence offences that carry maximum sentences of 14 years or more.

Solicitor and advocate for domestic violence victims, Tendayi Chivunga, says this incident exposes a flaw in the laws.

"The gap here is repeat offenders or those who continually breach DV AVOs are still out on our streets," she said.

If Ingram had met the threshold he would have been fitted with an electronic monitoring bracelet, alerting police if he approached Sophie.

"Where there has been any history of violent offending there should be electronic monitoring as a condition of bail," Shadow Attorney General Damien Tudehope said.

Given the infancy of the case and the fact the accused is still on the run, the government won't comment on why Ingram was released on bail.

Although, it insists it isn't being complacent and the system will be scrutinised.

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A US-Mexican influencer who disappeared in the northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa on Tuesday has been found alive and in good health.

In a post on social media, the prosecutor's office thanked the public for its assistance in finding Nicole "La Nicholette" Pardo and confirmed that the US dual national had been located safely.

Earlier this week, a viral video circulated online appearing to show Pardo being abducted at gunpoint in broad daylight.

Footage purportedly recorded by cameras on her Tesla vehicle — a lilac Cybertruck — shows several armed men violently forcing Pardo into a waiting car.

On Friday, the Sinaloa Attorney General's Office circulated a missing persons bulletin saying that Pardo was last seen on January 20 in the Isla Musalá neighborhood of Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa.

CNN geolocated the footage of her apparent abduction to that same neighborhood.

Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said that the vehicles allegedly involved in Pardo's disappearance were being tracked and that state authorities reported the incident immediately to the federal government.

According to what appears to be her Instagram account, the young woman splits her time between Culiacán and Phoenix, Arizona. Public records show she has an address in Phoenix.

Pardo is a 20-year-old US-Mexican dual national, according to the Sinaloa Attorney General's Office. She is a prominent voice online, where she has amassed more than 180,000 followers on Instagram and more than 145,000 on TikTok. She also has a YouTube channel and an OnlyFans account.

Her posts often show aspects of her personal life, including buying luxury vehicles, and her participation in local events, like the Saladazo, a motorized route through rural roads and natural areas south of Culiacán.

She is also referenced in the 2022 corrido song "La Muchacha del Salado," recorded by Grupo Arriesgado, which has accumulated over 27 million views on YouTube.

Pardo's disappearance comes amid heightened violence against women in Sinaloa and across Mexico. According to official figures from the Attorney General's Office, the state ended 2025 with 72 femicides, the highest number recorded in the last seven years and more than double the 31 recorded cases in 2024.

More broadly, Sinaloa has seen 7000 of the 132,000 disappearances reported across Mexico since the first cases were recorded in 1952, according to a national register.

Family members say the man killed by a US Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis was an intensive care nurse at a VA hospital who cared deeply about people and was upset by President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown in his city.

Alex Jeffrey Pretti, 37, was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed getting in adventures with Joule, his beloved Catahoula Leopard dog who also recently died. He worked for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and had participated in protests following the January 7 killing of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs officer.

"He cared about people deeply and he was very upset with what was happening in Minneapolis and throughout the United States with ICE, as millions of other people are upset," said Michael Pretti, Alex's father.

"He thought it was terrible, you know, kidnapping children, just grabbing people off the street. He cared about those people, and he knew it was wrong, so he did participate in protests."

Pretti was a US citizen, born in Illinois. Like Good, court records showed he had no criminal record and his family said he had never had any interactions with law enforcement beyond a handful of traffic tickets.

In a recent conversation with their son, his parents, who live in Colorado, told him to be careful when protesting.

"We had this discussion with him two weeks ago or so, you know, that go ahead and protest, but do not engage, do not do anything stupid, basically," Michael Pretti said. "And he said he knows that. He knew that."

The Department of Homeland Security said the man was shot after he "approached" Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun. Officials did not specify if Pretti brandished the gun.

In bystander videos of the shooting that emerged soon after, Pretti is seen with a phone in his hand but none appears to show him with a visible weapon.

Family members said Pretti owned a handgun and had a permit to carry a concealed handgun in Minnesota. They said they had never known him to carry it.

Alex Pretti's family struggles for information about what happened

The family first learned of the shooting when they were called by an Associated Press reporter. They watched the video and said the man killed appeared to be their son. They then tried reaching out to officials in Minnesota.

"I can't get any information from anybody," Michael Pretti said. "The police, they said call Border Patrol, Border Patrol's closed, the hospitals won't answer any questions."

Eventually, the family called the Hennepin County Medical Examiner, who they said confirmed had a body matching the name and description of their son.

As of Saturday evening, the family said they had still not heard from anyone at a federal law enforcement agency about their son's death.

Alex Pretti grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he played football, baseball and ran track for Preble High School. He was a Boy Scout and sang in the Green Bay Boy Choir.

After graduation, he went to the University of Minnesota, graduating in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in biology, society and the environment, according to the family. He worked as a research scientist before returning to school to become a registered nurse.

Video shows officers, man who was shot

In a bystander video of the shooting obtained by The Associated Press, protesters can be heard blowing whistles and shouting profanities at federal officers on Nicollet Avenue.

The video shows an officer shoving a person who is wearing a brown jacket, skirt and black tights and carrying a water bottle. That person reaches out for a man and the two link up, embracing. The man, wearing a brown jacket and black hat, seems to be holding his phone up toward the officer.

The same officer shoves the man in his chest and the two, still embracing, fall back.

The video then shifts to a different part of the street and then comes back to the two individuals unlinking from each other. The video shifts focus again and then shows three officers surrounding the man.

Soon at least seven officers surround the man. One is on the man's back and another who appears to have a canister in his hand strikes a blow to the man's chest. Several officers try to bring the man's arms behind his back as he appears to resist. As they pull his arms, his face is briefly visible on camera. The officer with the canister strikes the man near his head several times.

A shot rings out, but with officers surrounding the man, it's not clear from where the shot came. Multiple officers back off the man after the shot. More shots are heard. Officers back away and the man lies motionless on the street.

The police chief appealed for calm, both from the public and from federal law enforcement.

"Our demand today is for those federal agencies that are operating in our city to do so with the same discipline, humanity and integrity that effective law enforcement in this country demands," the chief said. "We urge everyone to remain peaceful."

Gregory Bovino of U.S. Border Patrol, who has commanded the Trump administration's big-city immigration campaign, said the officer who shot the man had extensive training as a range safety officer and in using less-lethal force.

"This is only the latest attack on law enforcement. Across the country, the men and women of DHS have been attacked, shot at," he said.

READ MORE: NSW beaches closed after shark attacks set to reopen in time for Australia Day long weekend

Vance criticises local authorities for refusing to cooperate with ICE agents

Vice President JD Vance responded to the shooting in a post on X and said that when he visited Minneapolis this week, "what the ICE agents wanted more than anything was to work with local law enforcement so that situations on the ground didn't get out of hand".

He accused local officials in Minnesota of ignoring requests from ICE agents to work with them.

Notably, federal officials refused to cooperate with local officials on an investigation into the shooting death of Renee Good on January 7.

Store owner opens to help protesters amid freezing temperatures

Allison Bross opened her fashion store, b. Resale, next to the shooting scene for the protesters to grab food, water, use the restroom, receive medical attention and get a warm break from the frigid temperatures outside.

"We're a community-based business, we don't exist without the community," she said.

"So if we hear someone in our neighbourhood is getting hurt, I'm going to be here immediately."

READ MORE: Police open fire in Melbourne after police car allegedly rammed

DHS says officers fired 'defensive shots'

Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that federal officers were conducting an operation as part of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.

She said officers fired "defensive shots" after a man with a handgun approached them and "violently resisted" when officers tried to disarm him.

O'Hara said police believe the man was a "lawful gun owner with a permit to carry."

Angry crowd gathers after shooting of man in Minneapolis

An angry crowd gathered after the shooting and screamed profanities at federal officers, calling them "cowards" and telling them to go home.

One officer responded mockingly as he walked away, telling them: "Boo hoo." Agents elsewhere shoved a yelling protester into a car.

The intersection where the shooting has been blocked off, and Border Patrol agents are on the scene wielding batons.

The shooting happened a day after thousands of demonstrators protesting the crackdown on immigrants crowded the city's streets in frigid weather, calling for federal law enforcement to leave.

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar expresses outrage at shooting

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar has expressed outrage at the shooting of a man during an immigration operation.

"Donald Trump and all your lieutenants who ordered this ICE surge: watch the horrific video of the killing today. The world is watching. Thousands of citizens stopped and harassed. Local police no longer able to do their work. Kids hiding. Schools closed. Get ICE out of Minnesota," Klobuchar said in a message posted on X.

Department of Defence Secretary Greg Moriarty will replace Kevin Rudd as Australia's next ambassador to the United States, the government has announced.

"The Albanese Government will recommend to the Governor-General that Mr Greg Moriarty AO be Australia's next Ambassador to the United States of America," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement.

"Mr Moriarty is uniquely experienced to take forward the Australia-US alliance.

READ MORE: Another person shot and killed by federal officers in Minnesota

"He has unsurpassed credentials across Australia's international policy from his senior roles in the Australian Public Service, including Secretary of the Department of Defence since 2017.

Moriarty has extensive experience within the government, serving as Australia's ambassador to Indonesia, from 2010 to 2014, and Iran, from 2005 to 2008.

"Mr Moriarty has held senior positions in the Office of the Prime Minister, as International and National Security Adviser, and later as Chief of Staff, to then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull," Albanese said.

"In 2015, Mr Moriarty was appointed as Australia's inaugural Counter Terrorism Coordinator in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet."

During his time in the defence department, Moriarty oversaw "an historic increase" in the Defence budget, Albanese said.

"He has also led the Department working with counterparts in the United States and the United Kingdom in the development and implementation of AUKUS," he said.

"We again thank the Hon Dr Kevin Rudd AC for his service."

Rudd stepped down from his ambassadorial role a year earlier than expected, after a tenure marred by tensions with the US president.

That included an awkward encounter with Donald Trump in October, who claimed he didn't like Rudd and "probably never will" after historic social media posts criticising the president as a "traitor to the West" recirculated.

Rudd said he would remain in the US to take up a role as president and chief executive of the Asia Society think tank.

Australia Day is a national public holiday but retail workers around the country will still be hard at work.

Many stores will remain open on Monday, January 26 but trading hours may change depending on where you live.

Here is your guide to the public holiday trading hours.

READ MORE: PhD candidate accused of plotting Australia Day terror attack

Coles

All Coles stores will be open on the Australia Day public holiday in Victoria, NSW, Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Most Coles supermarkets will be closed in South Australia except for Port Lincoln, Port Pirie, Port Augusta, Mount Barker, Adelaide Rundle Place, Whyalla, Murray Bridge Green, Mount Gambier and Victor Harbor.

Shoppers in the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania should check the Coles website as hours may differ on the public holiday.

Woolworths

All Woolworths stores will be open on Monday, January 26 in NSW, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia.

Only some stores will be open in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

Shoppers in SA and the NT are encouraged to check opening hours for individual stores on the Woolworths website.

Aldi

Aldi stores in NSW, the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory, Tasmania and Victoria will be open on Monday, January 26.

Stores in Queensland and Western Australia will be open with public holiday hours.

Some stores in South Australia will be closed while other stores will be subject to public holiday hours.

IGA

IGA stores are independently owned and operated, which means opening hours vary.

Some stores will be trading as normal and others will have operate on public holiday hours.

Shoppers should check with their local store for individual opening hours.

Department stores

Most Kmart, Target and Big W stores across Australia will trade on Australia Day, however some South Australian and regional stores will not be open.

Bunnings Warehouse stores will be open but some Bunnings Trade Centres will be closed over the long weekend.

Liquor stores

Bottle shops will be open in most locations but some will close or trade with different hours.

All Liquorland stores will be open on the Australia Day public holiday in Victoria, NSW, the Australian Capital Territory, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory (except for Alice Springs).

All Liquorland stores will be open in Western Australia except for Secret Harbour, Northgate and Bunbury.

Shoppers in Queensland should check with their local store for details as hours may differ on the public holiday.

Many BWS and Dan Murphy's stores will trade with public holiday hours, depending on the location.

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Victoria is facing a record-breaking run of heatwave conditions over this Australia Day long weekend and into next week.

Adelaide ticked over 41.5 degrees today, while in other parts of the state, temperatures nudged towards 50 degrees with 48.2 degrees recorded in Tarcoola.

Melbourne followed closely, with the city sweltering in 40 degree heat, halting play at the Australian Open.

READ MORE: NSW beaches closed after shark attacks set to reopen in time for Australia Day long weekend

The heat also sparked emergency level bushfires in Victoria's south-west, with multiple evacuation orders in place as firefighters attempt to contain the blaze.

A total fire ban is in place for the entire state of Victoria, while South Australians face catastrophic fire danger on the Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas.

In South Australia, south-westerly winds will knock temperatures back a few degrees tomorrow – down to 37 degrees in the city – but Adelaide could hit 45 degrees on Monday, making it the hottest Australia Day on record.

Some relief may be on the way for Victoria but it won't last long, with Tuesday looking even hotter.

"We've got a trough that's pushing into south western parts of the state," Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Sarah Scully said.

"The gusty north-westerly winds can keep the temperatures really elevated ahead of that cooler south-westerly change."

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Christie Johnson said northern parts of Victoria could see temperatures into the 40s for potentially five or six days in a row.

Johnson said Tuesday could be a day of concern with near-record temperatures of about 48 degrees.

"It could definitely be one of the hottest days that we've ever seen over Victoria," she said.

Water police will be out in force with hundreds expected to pack beaches across the coast over the long weekend.

"Take care on our beaches, take care on our waterways and take care on our roads," Victoria Police acting superintendent Brett Coloe said.

"It's going to be a very, very busy period."

Residents have been warned to take care as the blistering sun can be deadly.

"Hot weather not only creates its own emergencies with people becoming dehydrated and leading to heat stress and stroke, but it can exacerbate normal medical problems as well, which increases our workload," Ambulance Victoria's Andrew Burns said.

'Catastrophic fire dangers'

Scully told Today there's the potential for temperature records to be broken, amid increased fire dangers.

"What this means is if any fires are ignited, they will most likely be impossible to control," Scully said this morning.

"Now, broadly speaking, when we do have catastrophic fire dangers in place, it's recommended that people leave early.

"However, it's important for any of the residents within these areas to listen to the advice from local emergency services."

Tennis impacted

Australian Open matches in Melbourne were halted after the Heat Stress Index reached five.

Matches at the tournament had started half an hour early, so players could avoid the sweltering conditions.

"We're assuming that the heat is not going to go away and we need to keep players safe," Chief Medical Officer for Tennis Australia, Caroline Broderick, told Today.

READ MORE: Police open fire in Melbourne after police car allegedly rammed

"When the heat stress scale hits three, we have additional cooling measures on court.

"When it hits four, we have these rest breaks between the second and third set in women's tennis and the men's tennis.

"Heat stress scale hits five, we cancel or postpone all play on outside courts and close the roofs on our stadium courts."

South Australia on track for record-breaking heat

South Australia has sweltered through a day of extreme heat with some parts of the state, reaching close to 50 degrees.

The extreme conditions have seen events cancelled across the state, with the latest casualty the Australia Day fireworks at Elder Park.

Aus Lights on the river's been scrapped for the first time in its history but the Mourning ceremony should still go ahead.

"Make no mistake, the state is set to bake for much of the next week," the Bureau of Meteorology's John Fisher said.

READ MORE: Family of Piper James given preliminary autopsy results

Emergency Services Minister Rhiannon Pearce said additional aircraft, including a large aerial tanker, would be deployed if required across the state.

Those planning long weekend road trips have been asked to think twice.

"Don't go into the highest risk fire areas, and if you are and you have accommodation booked, please be sensible about it," Loughlin said.

High electricity demand could also cause significant strain, making power outages a possibility.

"Common sense – we can do this, we can get through this hot weather if we work together and we make sensible decisions," Loughlin said.

Tropical Cyclone crosses WA cost

On the west coast of Australia, residents along the west Kimberley coast are feeling the effects of Tropical Cyclone Luana.

The Category 2 storm crossed the WA coast north of Broome – between Beagle Bay and Cape Leveque – this afternoon [AWST] bringing destructive winds of up to 130km/h and heavy rainfall.

A warning zone extends from Broome to Kuri Bay, including Derby and adjacent inland areas, with a severe weather warning in place for heavy rainfall and flash flooding about the central and northern Kimberley.

The bureau warns of six-hour totals of up to 120 millimetres, with heavy falls bringing possible 24-hour totals of up to 200mm along the coastal fringes.

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A stolen car packed with eight teenagers hit a Mercedes SUV causing it to flip on Melbourne's Monash Freeway.

One teenage boy was arrested after the collision this morning.

The stolen white Mazda 3 was seen driving erratically inbound on the freeway in Berwick about 10.15am, police said.

READ MORE: Police looking for car as search for alleged NSW gunman widens

The Mazda collided into a Mercedes SUV, causing it to flip onto its roof east of the South Gippsland Highway about 10.25am

Up to eight teenage boys were seen fleeing the Mazda before a member of the public caught and held down the 15-year-old driver until police arrived.

The remaining seven teens fled into nearby bushland and despite Air Wing being called were not found.

The female driver who was the only one in the Mercedes sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was rushed to Dandenong Hospital.

Ambulance Victoria said she was stable.

READ MORE: Former Olympic snowboarder on FBI's most-wanted list is arrested in Mexico

The Mazda was stolen from a car park in Noble Park on December 30.

Meanwhile, in unrelated crash on the same highway, officers saw a Nissan Navara stopped in the emergency lane.

As officers tried to intercept, it took off.

It then hit six vehicles on the freeway at the Belgrave Hallam Road off-ramp.

The driver and his passenger fled on foot.

READ MORE: Brutal heat as temperatures near 50 degrees

The Nissan was stolen from a car park at the Cranbourne Railway Station on January 20.

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam.