MELBOURNE, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Melbourne is set to record its second longest heatwave with temperatures hitting 104 degrees Wednesday for the second day in a row, weather officials said.
Temperatures are expected to reach 105 degrees Thursday and 107 degrees Friday.
Weather records, which began in the 1830s, indicate the longest heatwave took place in 1908, when temperatures hit 104 degrees for five consecutive days.
Firefighters battled 256 blazes overnight caused by lightning strikes, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported, and electricity demand is at its highest in five years.
Matthew Warren, the chief executive officer of the Energy Supply Association of Australia, said the system is at the edge of its capacity.
"[The Australian Energy Market Operator] has just warned of the potential for forced outages in the next couple of days, if demand continues," he said.
AEMO may be reducing the amount of electricity being supplied to Victoria, which would affect as many as 100,000 homes and properties, the ABC reported.
Players in the Australian Open tennis tournament are also dealing with the extreme heat. Organizers have not suspended matches or closed the roof on the arena.
