IMD said heat wave to severe heat wave conditions prevailed in parts of Uttar Pradesh, south Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab and pockets of north Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and the Jammu division.

The extreme heatwave continues to push the city's power demand northwards, soaring to 8,647 MW at 3:22 pm on Tuesday, according to the State Load Dispatch Centre, Delhi.

Friday's weather in the capital is expected to be partly cloudy, with the possibility of dust storms or thunderstorms, accompanied by light rain, which should bring much-needed respite from the intense heat.

Weather conditions are anticipated to ameliorate starting Thursday, with a gradual reduction in severe heatwave conditions prevailing over Northwest and Central India.

The fire, which started in the Dhara Dogano area of the Basholi belt in the Kathua district and quickly spread to regions close by, was put out after several hours of firefighting by forest department officials and local residents.