Posted January 04, 2020 17:46:54

Photo: The Ffrench family cool off in the water whilst taking refuge in Nicholson, Victoria on Saturday morning.
(AAP: James Ross)

Heat records around Australia have continued to tumble today, with the ACT reaching its highest-ever recorded temperature and Penrith topping 48.9 degrees Celsius.

Canberra Airport reached 43.6C shortly before 3:00pm, which surpassed the ACT's previous record at the Old Acton Station, which reached 42.8C in January 1939.

There are no active fires in the ACT but conditions on fire grounds in surrounding areas in New South Wales are deteriorating, as hot and gusty north westerly winds ramp up.

Meanwhile, Penrith in Western Sydney reached 48.9C just after 3:00pm, a high that surpassed the all-time temperature record for that station, 47.3C, by more than a degree.

Those in Greater NSW are also sweltering through a heatwave, with temperatures as high as 46C in many regional airports.

Gus Goswell recounts the moment he and his family prepared to enter the water as a fire roared towards them like "a freight train" on New Year's Eve.

At 4:00pm, Horsley Park reached 45.5C and Bankstown sweated through 46.1C.

Two fires are skirting Bankstown, including an out-of-control blaze close to Bankstown Airport.

Elsewhere, Mount Seaview on the Mid North Coast hit 40.2C while Maitland Airport in the Hunter is at 44C.

The Gospers Mountain mega blaze, which has been burning for over two months, is 36 kilometres away from Maitland Airport.

Temperatures in the Central Tablelands have been hovering near the 40s, with Mudgee hitting 40.4C and Bathurst Airport at 40.9C.

In the Riverina, Narrandera Airport is at 46.7C while Wagga Wagga is clocking 45.4C.

Topics: weather, disasters-and-accidents, climate-change, canberra-2600, act, australia, penrith-2750, nsw, vic