Heatwave eases in WA's Pilbara region

Temperatures in the Pilbara will ease over the Australia Day long weekend after an extreme heatwave saw a record almost topple on Friday.

The town of Marble Bar nudged its all-time maximum temperature of 49.2C, set in January 1922, reaching 49C at 3.12pm.

A cooler maximum of 46C is forecast for the notoriously hot town and also for Newman and Paraburdoo on Saturday.

A total fire ban has been declared for Exmouth in the Pilbara region, and for Carnarvon and Shark Bay in the Midwest Gascoyne region.