Feeling the heat and smelling smoke? Here’s what to expect from this week’s weather forecast

As many South Aussies again wake up to the smell of bushfire smoke, the summer has no plans to cool down with a low-to-severe intensity heatwave set to hit the state over the next week.

Tyson Naismith, 16, Cooper Wilson,16, Ollie Bartlett,16, and Anthony Kartinyeri, 17, keeping cool in the river. Picture: Dean Martin

South Australians are again waking up to the smell of smoke as it drifts over parts of Adelaide from bushfires in western Victoria.

The SA Country Fire Service said it will continue to move west across the state, with fires totalling 18,000 hectares burning across the Grampians National Park, near the Victorian border.

It comes amidst a “low-to-severe-intensity” heat­wave over the next seven days, with temperatures expected to soar to nearly 40c on Sunday.

Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Hannah Marsh confirmed this was the state’s driest January in six years, with only 4.2mm of rain recorded so far.

The city is expecting a top today of 38C with the chance of a thunderstorm in the northern suburbs. Tuesday’s forecast maximum is 36C and Wednesday’s is 32C.

Similar conditions are expected on Thursday, which will have a top temperature of 36C, followed by Friday’s 30C and Saturday’s 33C.

Many regional centres will swelter in temperatures well into the 40s.

The furnace-like conditions have made our beaches and the River Murray popular places to seek cool relief.

“We’ll see the temperature increase from Saturday onwards, with the peak of the heat at this stage looking to be on Sunday,” Ms Marsh said.

“It won’t be until Tuesday that we start to see a change come through.”

Tyson Naismith, 16, Ollie Bartlett,16, and Cooper Wilson,16, keeping cool in the river. Picture: Dean Martin

A CFS spokeswoman said as temperatures rose, South Australians should be mindful of bushfire risk.

“The state is extremely dry and we have seen quite a few small fires take off over the last few days,” she said.

“We encourage the community to remain vigilant, check the fire danger ratings daily and make sure your plans are in place if a bushfire starts.”

The warning comes after Adelaide and surrounding suburbs were blanketed on Saturday by smoke from western Victorian fires.

Residents in affected areas were encouraged to monitor for symptoms of smoke inhalation including “shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing, burning eyes, running nose, chest tightness, chest pain and dizziness or light-headedness”.

Originally published as Feeling the heat and smelling smoke? Here’s what to expect from this week’s weather forecast