Canberra is set to swelter through days of extreme temperatures as a heatwave hits the capital.
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The ACT has been forecast to reach more than 40 degrees on Thursday, which would break the December temperature record for the capital.
The worst is yet to come, however, with 41 forecast for Friday and a high of 42 on Saturday.
Canberra's all-time temperature record could fall if the mercury rises above 42.2 degrees on the weekend.
As of midday on Thursday, the temperature reached 35 degrees and is expected to climb further.
The scorching weather comes as a total fire ban was declared in the ACT from Thursday until the end of Saturday.
It's the first time since the 2003 Canberra bushfires that consecutive total fire ban days have been declared in the ACT.
The hot and dry conditions factored in with winds more than 30km/h have forced the total fire ban with the fire danger rating labelled as severe.
More than 600 firefighters across the ACT are on standby in the event of a bushfire in the ACT.
Fires are raging across NSW with blazes burning on the South Coast and south of Nowra, as well as a bushfire near Braidwood, which has sent a smoke haze across the capital in recent weeks.
The total fire ban has forced the closure of the entire Namadgi National Park until midnight on Saturday.
The Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, Lower Cotter catchment, Bullen Range Nature Reserve, Stony Creek, Blue Range Forest, Pierces Creek Forest, Hyles and Sherwood Forest, Ingledene Forest, Uriarra Forest, Googong Foreshore, Kowen Forest, Lower Molonglo river corridor, Mulligans Flat sanctuary and the Centenary Trail between Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve and Hall have been closed for the fire ban.
Five campgrounds across the ACT have been closed for the entire fire season, which ends on March 31, 2020.
The campgrounds include Woods campground, Honeysuckle campground, Orroral campground, Mt Clear campground and the Blue Range campground.
Swimming areas at the Cotter and along the Murrumbidgee River remain open, including Kambah Pool, Pine Island, Point Hut and Uriarra Crossing.
All naked flames in ACT Parks and Conservation areas have been banned and all gas barbecues have been turned off.
Recreation areas in Canberra Nature Park and all pine forests other than Kowen Forest will remain open, however people are being warned they should leave the areas before 10am.
Meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, Rosemary Barr, said the slow-moving weather pattern bringing the heat meant it would still be several days before Canberra sees some relief.
"There will be a fairly gradual shift, temperatures will decrease from Sunday but they will still be above 30 degrees until Wednesday," Ms Barr said.
While temperatures on Thursday are expected to ease during the evening, the change will bring with it increased smoke haze.
"There'll be an easterly change in the evening about 5 or 6pm, and while it will bring cooler temperatures it will see increased smoke due to the active fires in the east," Ms Barr said.