Australia news live: three states braces for extreme heat; remains of missing snorkeller wash ashore on WA beach

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Key events

Human remains that washed ashore on a Western Australian beach are believed to be a missing 32-year-old snorkeler.

The man was reported missing off Ledge Point beach, north of Perth, on the afternoon of New Year’s Day. Despite a big air and sea search he was not found.

Just after 7am on Tuesday, police were told the remains had washed ashore on Fence Reef Beach, north of Ledge Point, WA police said in a statement.

While formal identification is yet to be completed, police believe it is the missing man.

His death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

Penry Buckley

Swathes of southern and eastern Australia are bracing for extreme temperatures in the first of several days in what is expected to be the worst heatwave since the Black Summer bushfires.

Victoria and South Australia are forecast to bear the brunt of the heat today, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Most parts of Victoria are forecast to be in the low to mid 40s, with Melbourne predicted to hit 42C, its first 40C January day since 2020. Temperatures as high as 46C are expected in northern Victoria.

The BoM said Adelaide would experience a maximum temperature of 42C on Wednesday, with the heat remaining in the low-40s across the metropolitan region into Thursday.

In the South Australian coastal city of Port Augusta and in Tarcoola in the far north temperatures are forecast to reach as high as 47C by Thursday.

Western NSW will share in the high temperatures on Wednesday, with Broken Hill forecast to hit 42C, but Sydney is not forecast to climb into the high 30s and low 40s until later in the week.

The BoM’s Angus Hines told Guardian Australia temperature records could be broken this week.

There’s going to be lots of places that are within sight of their temperature records. Most places that have a really long data history, potentially will be a degree or a couple of degrees below their all-time records, but I anticipate that there could be some areas maybe with slightly shorter data history that could set some records.

The BoM has advised of the risk of heat-driven fire danger, with dry thunderstorms and windier conditions later in the week expected to add to the risk. Widespread total fire bans are expected, with people warned to charge their devices in case of power outages, and watch out for the signs of heat stroke.