Fraser Island, a distinct Australian ecosystem, is currently burning as parts of the country experience a record-breaking heat wave.

Firefighters are battling an enormous bushfire that has been raging for six weeks across Fraser Island, a popular tourist destination, as Australia’s eastern regions endure a historic heat wave following the hottest November ever recorded.

Tourists and staff at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Fraser Island have been evacuated as the fire nears key attractions, with the island’s rare forests being engulfed in thick smoke.

On Tuesday morning, local time, emergency services in Queensland issued a ‘prepare to leave’ warning for the Kingfisher Bay Resort and Village, as fires in multiple areas threatened the resort.

Emergency teams are using water bombing efforts to contain the blaze, but the fire service has cautioned that conditions could worsen.

Fire crews are working hard to control the blaze, but they may not be able to safeguard every property. The directive cautions residents not to expect a firefighter at their door.

According to Queensland’s Bureau of Meteorology, the fire risk is expected to worsen due to strong winds and extreme heat, with the heat wave conditions likely continuing across the state in the coming days.

The fire on Fraser Island was ignited by an illegal campfire and, over six weeks, has spread across 76,000 hectares (187,800 acres) of dry bushland, as reported by Dinogo affiliate Nine News.

Known as K’gari in its Indigenous language, the island was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992 for its exceptional forests and natural beauty. It is the largest sand island in the world and home to the only tall rainforest growing on sand.

The unique sandy landscape of Fraser Island is complicating the efforts of the more than 30 fire crews working to fight the blaze, according to the Queensland fire service.

Incident controller James Haig shared in a video message on Twitter that while the conditions are extremely challenging, firefighters are doing their utmost to minimize the damage caused by such a large-scale fire.

Firefighters are also combating blazes in numerous other areas across mainland Queensland and New South Wales.

Unprecedented heat could lead to another catastrophic bushfire season.

Eastern Australia is sweltering through an intense spring heatwave, with temperatures soaring above 40°C (104°F) in Sydney on Saturday. Meanwhile, large parts of western New South Wales, South Australia, and northern Victoria experienced even hotter temperatures nearing 45°C (113°F).

Sydney recorded its hottest November night on record Saturday, with an overnight low of 25.3°C (77.54°F), followed by a second consecutive day of temperatures exceeding 40°C (104°F) on Sunday.

On Tuesday, the Bureau of Meteorology confirmed that this spring has been Australia’s warmest on record, alongside the hottest November ever recorded.

Bushfires are a common occurrence in Australia, but the risk has been escalating in recent years. Rising temperatures and decreasing rainfall over decades have made conditions increasingly dangerous, particularly in southern Australia.

Last year set the record as Australia’s hottest year, with the period from 2013 to 2019 representing seven of the nine warmest years on record.

Australia's worst bushfire season, known as Black Summer (2019-2020), destroyed nearly 12 million hectares (30 million acres), claiming the lives of at least 33 people and an estimated 1 billion animals.

In March, the New South Wales Bushfire Inquiry concluded that the unprecedented fire season was exacerbated by climate change, warning that such catastrophic wildfires are likely to become more frequent. The report highlighted factors like extreme dryness, excessive fuel load, and hot, dry weather that fueled the rapid spread of fires.

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO's 'State of the Climate 2020' report, published last month, stated that climate change is driving more frequent and severe bushfire conditions in Australia, impacting temperature, humidity, and fuel moisture. The report predicts more dangerous fire weather days and a longer fire season for southern and eastern Australia.

Bill Hare, director of Climate Analytics, warned on Tuesday that both the east coast and southwestern Australia are predicted to face another dangerously hot fire season this year, according to the Bureau of Meteorology and other experts.

Bill Hare expressed concern about the economic and psychological toll of another catastrophic fire season, noting that communities are still reeling from the devastation of last year's fires. He added that the damage from previous bushfires remains unresolved, making future disasters even more concerning.