Heat wave to strike Australia\'s New South Wales

Temperatures are expected to reach the early 40s in western Sydney and western New South Wales (NSW) on Friday and Saturday, with fire danger to be high to very high across most of the state, local media reported on Friday. The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting parts of NSW will be affected by a heat wave over the coming days. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Weather specialist Graham Creed reported temperatures were already soaring in parts of the state\'s north-west before 9:00 a.m. (local time) on Friday. \"Sydney is in for some hot weather but really the worst of the conditions are out through the western half of the state,\" he said. The state\'s health authorities are urging people to be cautious during impending heat wave to avoid heat-related illness. Signs of heat-related illness include dizziness, confusion, vomiting and head aches. NSW Health says people should take some simple precautions to minimize their risk of heat-related illness, such as drinking plenty of water, trying to stay indoors during the afternoon and shading windows with an awning, shade-cloth or plants. The heat wave that affected Sydney in February 2011 caused nearly 600 emergency department visits and 96 deaths.