A state of disaster was declared in Victoria, Australia, early Saturday morning.

As a heat wave fuels wildfires north of Melbourne, Premier Jacinta Allan delivered the declaration in the face of what she described as an emergency of extraordinary scale and danger.

“Taking this step is about one thing: protecting Victorian lives,” Allan wrote in a statement. “And it sends one clear message: if you have been told to leave - go.”

According to local reporting, more than 740,000 acres have burned so far and at least 130 homes or buildings have been destroyed. At the current count, 36 wildfires are burning.

Meteorologist Rob Shackelford noted that unusually high temperatures this week have contributed to the conditions, "Across parts of southern Australia, temperatures over 18 degrees F above average were widespread, including cities Melbourne and Sydney. Some isolated areas saw highs nearly 34 degrees above their January averages. Remember, January is right in the middle of the Southern Hemisphere's summer."

A heat wave of that magnitude hasn’t been seen in Australia since the 2019-2020 season, when 59 million acres were burned in wildfires and 33 people died.

Extreme winds are also contributing to the blaze. In Burrowye, a rural area on the border between Victoria and New South Wales, a firenado was reported to have been seen.

Across Melbourne, wildfire smoke drifting down from the fires has caused the sky to turn red. Local authorities urged residents with respiratory conditions to take precautions as the fires continue.

As the situation worsens, Tropical Cyclone Koji is now forecast to make landfall on Australia's northeast coast near Ayr on Sunday. Residents have been told to prepare to shelter in place.

We’ll continue to update this story as we learn more.