Hot

It is in the high 20s here. The sunset is an ugly smudge. There is smog in Auckland and the air is only clear at the top of the Bombays. (big hills to the south of Auckland ) There is a fire in the South Island, near Nelson, fortunately under control.

Two crack firefighting teams have gone to Australia and more are to follow.

The forecast for Sydney at 8am tomorrow is 30 degrees, with the temperature a few miles outside the city even higher.

Some places in New South Wales are over 20 degrees higher.