Blistering conditions across the south of Australia, with Melbourne temperatures topping out at 37C, will ease slightly today as a cool change sweeps in.

But while the mercury will fall, forecasters have warned of “dangerous conditions” as bushfires are whipped up by blustery winds. And even the relief won’t last long as temperatures soar once again into the weekend.

Meanwhile, in northern Australia it’s all about the rain rather than the heat with hundreds of millimetres expected on top of the hundreds already endured.

Blazes continue to rage in Tasmania with 12 bushfire warnings in place. The Huon Highway which connects Hobart to southern Tasmania, is closed from the Huon Bridge at Huonville to Franklin as bushfires continue to threaten the area, reported the Mercury.

The state fire service has urged Tasmanians to use water sparingly and turn off taps and hoses if evacuating properties as the water mains could be under threat from the fires.

Hobart is looking at a high of 32C today.

In Victoria, more than 2000 flying foxes were found dead with more of the creatures taken into care suffering heat stress. The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning confirmed on Tuesday that about 1400 of the native species were found dead near Bairnsdale on the state’s southeast coast, with another 900 dead at a Gippsland colony near Maffra, reported AAP.

Melbourne will see 37C today, with similar highs across much of the state and Mildura peaking at 40C. Adelaide is only slightly cooler at 36C but Renmark could get to 41C and Port Augusta 42C.

Today has been declared a Total Fire Ban and SEVERE in the Mallee, Wimmera and South West districts. It is also VERY HIGH in the Central, North Central and Northern Country districts.

To find out what you can and cannot do during a Total Fire Ban go to https://t.co/XdCVreByoy pic.twitter.com/tr7uqglcyT — VicEmergency (@vicemergency) January 29, 2019

COOL CHANGE BRINGS DANGER

“A cool southwesterly change will hit Adelaide around sunset and will take a few more hours to get Melbourne and Hobart,” Sky News Weather channel meteorologist Tom Saunders said.

“As the change comes through, the northwesterly winds will change to southwesterly winds and that will change the direction of fire and the position of fire fronts which could lead to dangerous conditions across Tasmania.”

Sydneysiders will be sweltering too. A high of 31C today will extend to 35C on Thursday, with 38C and 41C in the city’s west. Expect similar highs in inland areas. Canberra is looking at a Wednesday high of 35C and 36C on Thursday.

“It’s still a hot day on Thursday in NSW but Sydney could see a late southerly buster come through,” Mr Saunders said.

After the cool change, Sydney could struggle to get above 24C on Friday and Saturday.

“But the cool relief won’t last too long. Temperatures will be climbing again from Friday onwards, over 40C in the southern inland and by Sunday scorching temperatures will be returning in Melbourne where it will be 38C and the low 30s in Hobart,” Mr Saunders said.

Then another cool change is due to come through early next week, but strong winds means this could yet again lead to fire warnings.

Perth will see 31C on Wednesday and then highs of 37C heading into a sunny weekend. Darwin will reach 31C with possible storms.

QUEENSLAND FLOODING

In Queensland, Brisbane is stuck in a groove of 31-32C with possible showers for just about the next week. The real action is further north though.

Cairns could see getting on for 500mm of rain over the next week, with up to 150mm falling on Friday alone.

The Bruce Highway remains cut in multiple places after the heavy rain that caused the Daintree River’s record-breaking flood pushed south dumping more heavy rain and stranding four campers, reported AAP.

The two women, aged 29 and 26, and two men, 31 and 28, became stranded while camping at Tabletop Station at Hervey Range.

Rescue helicopters from Townsville were unable to reach the group because of the weather, with a mustering helicopter from Charters Towers called in to ferry the four to safety.

A slow-moving monsoonal trough dumped more than 350mm of rain on the area around Proserpine, north of Mackay, in just 24 hours. It’s the same weather system that dropped almost 500mm on the Daintree River in 24 hours late last week.

Forecasters are warning residents from Mount Isa to Mackay and south to Windorah to expect further heavy falls on Wednesday.

The system is expected to swing around to the north late on Thursday, back towards catchments that have already been inundated.

Residents are being asked to avoid non-essential water use during total fire ban days and while bushfires are threatening communities across the state.