Wildfire Safety and Preparedness

State of Emergency Declared for Canberra as Temperatures Climb Again in Australia (PHOTOS)

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A car's taillights streak past at left as a wildfire threatening property glows at dusk near Clear Range, south of the Australian capital, Canberra, Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. The threat is posed by a blaze on Canberra's southern fringe that has razed more than 21,500 hectares (53,000 acres) since it was sparked by heat from a military helicopter landing light on Monday, the Emergency Services Agency said.(AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

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A car's taillights streak past at left as a wildfire threatening property glows at dusk near Clear Range, south of the Australian capital, Canberra, Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. The threat is posed by a blaze on Canberra's southern fringe that has razed more than 21,500 hectares (53,000 acres) since it was sparked by heat from a military helicopter landing light on Monday, the Emergency Services Agency said.(AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Australian capital is under a state of emergency as officials warned that Canberra and the surrounding areas were facing the most serious fire conditions seen since 2003.

The weekend is expected to hit temperatures well above 100 degrees, and the Emergency Services Agency for the Australian Capital Territory, or ACT, told residents to be prepared to protect their homes or evacuate.

The wildfires have claimed at least 33 lives since September. More than 3,000 homes have been destroyed in the flames and 26 million acres of land have been burned, according to The Associated Press.

(MORE: Raging Wildfires Prompt Emergency Declaration)

Al Jazeera reported that the current threatening blaze, which has burned more than 53,000 acres, was sparked by the heat of a military helicopter landing light on Monday.

Temperatures are expected to climb to 104 degrees on Saturday, and Sunday may bring storms with winds that could stoke the flames.

The territory's chief minister, Andrew Barr told the BBC that officials fear the fires "may become uncontrollable" due to the impending weather and wind.

Click through the slideshow above for photos of the devastation, and check back for updates.