The summer of 2016-17 was characterised by protracted – at times, extreme – heat for much of south-eastern Australia. Sydney and Brisbane experienced record average January temperatures; in Canberra, daytime temperatures were the highest on record. Three distinct heatwaves occurred across January and February, with temperatures peaking from 9-12 February 2017.

Records set by the heat included:

• Hottest February day for sites in South Australia and Queensland (February 9 and 12, respectively)
• Second hottest February day in New South Wales (recorded at Walgett Airport)
• Hottest* and second hottest February days (44 and 42.4 degrees Celsius, respectively) across New South Wales

*The second hottest day for any month in New South Wales, exceeded only by records from 14 January 1939.

On 12 February, catastrophic fire weather conditions prevailed across large parts of central New South Wales and the Hunter. Conditions were described as the worst-ever fire weather experienced in New South Wales.

A number of large fires soon broke out, including the Sir Ivan, White Cedars Road near Mudgee, Barnards Road at Gloucester, Pappinbarra Road near Wauchope and Spring Hill Road near Dongdingalong. Over 80 fires were burning in the state at one time with in excess of 2,500 firefighters engaged.

Considerable overall losses were experienced with a total of 70,106 hectares burned, 45 homes and over 150 other buildings destroyed. Despite the scale of the fires and severity of the weather, no lives were lost in these fires. New South Wales fire agencies had no requirement to call interstate assistance to help with fire suppression.