Firefighters are bracing for more dangerous conditions in Western Australia, while parts of New South Wales have been warned to prepare for further thunderstorms and heavy rain.

Fires threatened homes in areas around Perth on Thursday, and the Bureau of Meteorology said on Friday that hot, dry conditions and gusty winds meant the fire danger remained extreme in some districts.

The BOM has predicted temperatures of 35C in Perth on Friday, rising to 37C on Saturday and 40C with thunderstorms on Sunday.

While emergency warnings issued on Thursday for blazes in Perth’s south and north-east were downgraded to watch and act, residents have been cautioned that conditions are changeable and urged to stay alert.

WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services Assistant Commissioner Danny Monsconi said conditions were still “really difficult”.

“We’ve got wind speeds of around 20km/h, but they’re gusting up to 50 kilometres,” he told ABC Radio on Thursday afternoon. “So pretty challenging.”

Extreme fire danger is forecast for districts including Yarra Yarra, Karroun, Lockwood, Mortlock and Avon.

Meanwhile, parts of eastern NSW received more than 70mm of rain in two hours on Friday morning, according to Weatherzone, with more heavy rain and severe thunderstorms on the way on Friday and the weekend.

⛈️Thunderstorm FORECAST 12/12:

🔴 Severe storms likely: central coast and ranges

🟡 Severe storms possible: eastern half, excluding the southeast

Hazards: damaging winds, large hail, heavy rainfall

🟢 Non-severe storms possible: much of #NSW

Warnings: https://t.co/odjQDmg8Wq pic.twitter.com/oBblIPmS2P

— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) December 12, 2025

ABC news also reported that a hailstorm hit parts of the NSW central west, with the State Emergency Service receiving 29 calls for assistance.

A BOM severe thunderstorm warning for heavy rainfall in the state’s Hunter and Illawarra districts was still in place at 12.30pm (EDT) on Friday, with the bureau saying the rain could lead to flash flooding in affected areas.

Fire and heatwave warnings have been issued for parts of South Australia, with maximum temperatures up to the mid-40s expected on Friday.

The WA fires come after more than three dozen homes were destroyed in the past week during blazes in Tasmania and NSW, including one that claimed a firefighter’s life.

An inferno at Koolewong, on the NSW Central Coast, required more than 250 firefighters and razed 16 homes in an hour at its peak on Saturday.

–with AAP