"The scale has just been increased today and I would anticipate it is because the forecast coming from the bureau's model is showing temperatures in excess of 50 degrees," David Jones, head of the bureau's climate monitoring and prediction unit, said. Deep purple ... the Bureau of Meteorology's interactive weather forecasting chart has added new colours. While recent days have seen Australian temperature maps displaying maximums ranging from 40 degrees to 48 degrees - depicted in the colour scheme as burnt orange to black – both Sunday and Monday are now showing regions likely to hit 50 degrees or more, coloured purple. Clicking on the prediction for 5pm AEDT next Monday, a Tasmania-sized deep purple opens up over South Australia – implying 50 degrees or above. Aaron Coutts-Smith, the bureau's NSW head of climate monitoring, though, cautioned that the 50-degree reading is the result of just one of the bureau's models. "The indications are, from the South Australian office, that we are not looking at getting any where near that (50 degree level)." 
 
 Still, large parts of central Australia have limited monitoring, so the 50.7 degree record may be broken. "The air mass over the inland is still heating up - it hasn't peaked," Dr Jones said. Australia's first six days of 2013 were all among the hottest 20 days on record in terms of average maximums, with January 7 and today likely to add to the list of peaks. That would make it four of the top 10 in a little over a week. National record smashed And the country has set a new national average maximum of 40.33 degrees on Monday, beating the previous record - set on December 21, 1972 - by a "sizeable margin" of 0.16 degrees, Dr Jones said, adding that the figures are preliminary. 
 
 The air mass over the inland is still heating up - it hasn't peaked "Today is actually shaping up to be hotter - and it could be a record by a similar margin," he said. Another record to be smashed on Monday was Australia's mean temperature. The country averaged 32.23, easily eclipsing the previous record - set on December 21, 1972 - of 31.86 degrees. Just 0.13 degrees separated the previous four highest mean temperatures, underscoring how far above average the day was. The scorching temperatures could last into the weekend and beyond, Dr Jones said, potentially breaking the country's all-time high of 50.7 degrees. "The heat over central Australia is not going to go anywhere," he said, noting that the northern monsoon and southern cold fronts have all been weak recently. 
 
 "We know the air mass is hot enough to challenge the Oodnadatta record." While the national data goes all the way back to 1910, the bureau views the figures are most reliable from about 1950. Before today, six of the 20 hottest days in Australian records have been in 2013 - with that tally likely to rise to seven out of 20 by the day's end. Here are the rankings: Loading Hottest national averages on record (before today). 
 
 1 January 7, 2013: 40.33 degrees 
 
 2 December 21, 1972: 40.17 
 
 3 December 20, 1972: 40.01 
 
 4 December 22, 1972: 39.82 
 
 5 January 1, 1973: 39.79 
 
 6 January 6, 2013: 39.71 
 
 7 December 17, 2002: 39.7 
 
 8 January 2, 1973: 39.65 
 
 9 January 3, 2013: 39.55 
 
 10 December 16, 2002: 39.54 
 
 11 December 30, 1972: 39.48 
 
 12 December 31, 1972: 39.43 
 
 13 January 27, 1936: 39.4 
 
 14 January 1, 1990: 39.39 
 
 15 January 4, 2013: 39.32 
 
 16 January 5, 2013: 39.26 
 
 17 January 2, 1990: 39.22 
 
 18 January 2, 2013: 39.21 
 
 19 December 18, 2002: 39.2 
 
 20 January 13, 1985: 38.98 
 
 
 
 Source: Bureau of Meteorology ||||| Story highlights Federal government steps in with fuel, personnel to help NSW fire effort 
 
 More than 130 fires are burning across NSW during one of the hottest days on record 
 
 90% of the Australian state is under "severe" or higher fire warnings 
 
 High temperatures and dry conditions have combined to create "dangerous day" 
 
 Soaring temperatures and strong winds have combined to create a "catastrophic" fire threat across the southeast Australian state of New South Wales. 
 
 Residents have been warned to remain vigilant as temperatures rise towards a predicted high of 43 degrees (109 degrees Fahrenheit) in the state capital of Sydney. 
 
 In some areas of the state, winds of more than 70 kilometers an hour (43 mph) were threatening to fan the flames of fires already burning. However, a change in wind direction had caused temperatures in certain parts of the state to fall, offering some relief. 
 
 A "catastrophic" fire risk has been declared in four areas of NSW, although the risk across 90% of the state is "severe" or above. A "catastrophic" warning carries the risk of significant loss of life and the destruction of many homes, according to the NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS). 
 
 "I cannot say it more plainly: the risk is real and potentially deadly. People need to act now," the service's Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said. 
 
 JUST WATCHED Fire rages across Australian bush Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Fire rages across Australian bush 01:54 
 
 JUST WATCHED 'Catastrophic' fire risk in Australia Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH 'Catastrophic' fire risk in Australia 02:33 
 
 Photos: Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat Photos: Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat – A volunteer Rural Fire Service member from Bungendore RFS washes down a emergency service vehicle on January 8, 2013 in Bungendore, Australia. Hide Caption 1 of 12 Photos: Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat – Fire hoses from Bungendore RFS sit on shelves on January 8, 2013 in Bungendore, Australia. Hide Caption 2 of 12 Photos: Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat – Fire fighters battle a grass fire in Oura, near Wagga Wagga in New South Wales on January 8, 2013. Hide Caption 3 of 12 Photos: Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat Heat map – These weather maps are produced from computer models and are used by forecasters to develop the official weather maps, which contain added features such as cold fronts. Hide Caption 4 of 12 Photos: Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat – Southern states of Australia were hit by soaring temperatures on January 8, 2013, raising the risk of bushfires in the region. Thousands of firefighters were deployed in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania as strong winds fanned flames. Hide Caption 5 of 12 Photos: Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat Sydney swelters during heatwave – Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia was packed with people attempting to cool down as temperatures hit 43 degrees Celsius (109 Fahrenheit). Hide Caption 6 of 12 Photos: Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat Sydney swelters during heatwave – The soaring temperatures, coupled with strong winds, raised the fire risk to "extreme" or higher across 90% of the state. Hide Caption 7 of 12 Photos: Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat Sydney swelters during heatwave – A lifeguard sign warns beach-goers of the high temperatures at Tamarama Beach in Sydney on January 8. Hide Caption 8 of 12 Photos: Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat Sydney swelters during heatwave – Tourists cover themselves with towels to protect themselves from the sun on one of the hottest days on record. Hide Caption 9 of 12 Photos: Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat Sydney swelters during heatwave – Tommy Robredo of Spain rests next to a fan in between games in his first round match against John Millman of Australia during day three of Sydney International at Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre. Hide Caption 10 of 12 Photos: Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat Sydney swelters during heatwave – A pair of Zebras attempts to eat an iced carrot block at Taronga Zoo. Hide Caption 11 of 12 Photos: Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat Sydney swelters during heatwave – The fire rating reached "catastrophic" in four areas of New South Wales, prompting warnings from Prime Minister Julia Gillard that Tuesday was a "dangerous day." Hide Caption 12 of 12 
 
 The "catastrophic" fire threat had led many to fear a repeat of "Black Saturday" in 2009, when soaring temperatures and high winds fanned the flames of a series of bushfires across the state of Victoria, leaving 173 people dead and 500 injured, and destroying thousands of homes. 
 
 On Tuesday afternoon, the Australian government announced that the state fire service would be granted access to Defence Force bases, fuel and personnel as part of the federal government disaster response plan. 
 
 Earlier, Prime Minister Julia Gillard warned it was "dangerous" day and urged people to "stay focused." 
 
 "The word catastrophic is being used for good reason," Gillard told CNN affiliate the Seven Network. 
 
 "It is very important that people keep themselves safe, that they listen to local authorities and local warnings." 
 
 Total fire bans were place in the states of NSW, Victoria and across the whole of Tasmania, the southern island state ravaged by fire in recent days. 
 
 On Tuesday afternoon, more than 130 fires were burning throughout NSW, with over 40 of those yet to be controlled, according to NSW RFS. 
 
 There were no reports of any homes having being destroyed but authorities warned that the dry, hot conditions were expected to stretch into the night. 
 
 "It's a long way ahead -- we've got a lot of daylight left and a lot of nighttime left under these conditions," Fitzsimmons said. 
 
 Thousands of firefighters were battling blazes on the ground, and more than 40 aircraft and 250 fire trucks had been deployed, a fire service spokeswoman said. 
 
 Thousands more firefighters were on standby in high risk areas, including 21 "strike teams," each consisting of five tankers to assist local brigades. 
 
 The fire service said it was relying on people to report fires in their areas, but that surveillance flights were also monitoring the landscape for smoke and flames. 
 
 Authorities said residents and tourists had responded well to early warnings to abandon properties under threat. 
 
 "If you are in a bushfire risk area -- if you are an at risk location, leaving early is the safest option," Fitzsimmons said. 
 
 Record high temperatures and the delayed state of the Australian monsoon season have created a tinderbox out of large swathes of bush and scrub land across the state. 
 
 The last four months of 2012 were "abnormally hot" across Australia, according to the Australian Bureau of Meterology. Average maximum temperatures were the highest since records began in 1910. 
 
 In the first days of the new year, extreme heat contributed to the spread of fires across Tasmania. 
 
 Firefighters are still on alert, tackling a number of blazes, as residents who were in the path of the earlier fires returned to the charred rubble of their homes. More than 100 properties were destroyed or damaged, though authorities warn more may be at risk. 
 
 Rescue workers are continuing to search for human remains as around 100 people have still not contacted friends or family, according to Tasmania police. 
 
 "It's vitally important that all people who were in the area at the time, and are OK, self-register their details with the National Registration and Inquiry Service operated by the Red Cross," said Acting Deputy Commissioner Donna Adams. 
 
 Meanwhile, police have charged a 31-year-old man for allegedly causing one of the worst of the fires by leaving a campfire unattended that was not completely extinguished. ||||| A POPULAR Central Australian holiday resort was on fire this evening and more than 120 people were evacuated as bushfires raged out of control, amid a record-breaking heatwave that is forecast to worsen into the weekend. 
 
 Northern Territory police said the fire in the Wartarrka National Park had begun to damage property at the popular Kings Canyon Resort about 320 km southeast of Alice Springs. An aerial survey is underway to determine the extent of the damage. 
 
 Around 120 staff and holidaymakers had been evacuated from there to Mereenie Oil Fields, and more from the nearby Aboriginal community of Lilla, police said. 
 
 Emergency crews were this evening preparing to evacuate a further 11 people from a ranger station in the path of a fire, and flames were reportedly visible from Kings Creek Station nearby. 
 
 The Luritja Highway leading into the resort is now closed. 
 
 "There is substantial damage to the resort," resort spokeswoman Louise Longman said. 
 
 She said a convoy of guests and staff had left the resort today for the the second time in 12 hours. 
 
 About 4.30am (CST) they were taken to a safe area for several hours due to an earlier fire, but later allowed back once the threat passed. 
 
 Northern Territory Police said the fire had a one-kilometre front and had damaged property at the resort. 
 
 All staff and guests were safe and accounted for, police said. 
 
 At Napperby Station, about 170 km northeast of Alice Springs, pastoralist Janet Chisholm said a separate fire burning out of control there had already consumed about 200 square kilometres of country. 
 
 "My husband Roy has gone up in the helicopter. I heard him on the radio saying the flames were 50 ft high," Ms Chisholm told The Australian. 
 
 "The fire just walked right over our six-lane road and containment line - it's pretty wild." 
 
 The fires come amid a record-breaking heatwave that has seen temperatures soar into the 40s every day since the start of January. 
 
 Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Angeline Prasad said three minor records were broken today, and predicted more would fall as temperatures rose by around a degree and winds strengthened into the weekend. 
 
 "It's already dry, so with the hotter temperatures starting this weekend and the winds increasing, we might see some real fire issues," Ms Prasad. 
 
 The BOM this evening named its first tropical cyclone of the year, Tropical Cyclone Narelle, a category one storm about 790km north-northwest of Broome on the north coast of Western Australia. 
 
 TC Narelle is forecast to strengthen to a category three and turn south towards Karratha, also on the Western Australian coast, over the next couple of days. 
 
 Those gasping for relief from the weather in the Top End can expect the first monsoon rains to make landfall tomorrow. However, Ms Prasad predicted the rains would not travel far south. 
 
 Additional reporting: AAP
– Australia is suffering a heat wave so blistering that officials have been forced to add new colors to the country's weather map. Purple and pink are now representing temperatures upward of 122 degrees, which could arrive on Sunday and Monday, reports the Sydney Morning Herald, which has the map. The country's all-time heat record is 123 degrees in 1960, but that could soon be broken. And with fires already blazing, officials are warning that the harsh weather could have "catastrophic" consequences, CNN reports. Winds blowing at 43mph in parts of New South Wales could help the fires spread. Already, a fire at a resort has forced 120 people to evacuate, the Australian reports. "I cannot say it more plainly: the risk is real and potentially deadly. People need to act now," says a fire official.