Firefighters across Victoria and South Australia are on high alert, preparing for what authorities have warned will be the most dangerous fire day in years. A severe heatwave, described as the worst since the Black Summer, is building towards catastrophic conditions in parts of the state on Friday.
Heatwave Intensifies Across Southern Australia
Blistering heat continues to grip most of Australia, with temperatures nearing 50C in some areas. On Thursday, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) reported that severe to extreme heatwave warnings were active for every state and territory except Queensland. Senior meteorologist Sarah Scully confirmed the heat is intensifying across southern Australia, with maximum temperatures expected to be 8-14C above the January average for northern Victoria, South Australia, and parts of New South Wales.
Adelaide residents woke to 31C on Thursday morning after the city endured a scorching 43C on Wednesday. In Victoria, Melbourne recorded its hottest day since 2020 at 40.9C, while Avalon airport near Geelong hit 43.6C. The Mallee region saw Walpeup reach 45C.
Catastrophic Fire Danger Declared
The extreme heat, combined with dry conditions and forecast damaging wind gusts of up to 90km/h, is creating a tinderbox scenario. Firefighters are preparing for extreme fire danger across mid-north South Australia and northern Victoria, with conditions expected to escalate to catastrophic in the Wimmera and northern districts on Friday.
Sarah Scully stated that Friday would be "the most dangerous day with regards to fires." The threat is already manifesting, with an active bushfire at Longwood in Victoria prompting urgent 'leave immediately' warnings for residents in several surrounding townships. The Hume Freeway has been closed in both directions between Seymour and Violet Town as a result.
Total fire bans are now in place across multiple regions:
- Mid-north South Australia
- The Mallee, northern, north central, and north-east Victoria
- NSW's southern Riverina
Further compounding the danger is the potential for thunderstorms and dry lightning across much of Victoria and southern NSW, which could ignite new blazes.
A Nation in the Grips of Extreme Heat
The current heatwave is affecting vast swathes of the country. On Wednesday, the Pilbara coast in Western Australia saw Onslow record 49C. In South Australia, suburbs north of Adelaide reached the mid-40s, with Edinburgh hitting 44.6C, while Ceduna and Port Augusta saw 46C.
Even Tasmania experienced hotter than normal conditions, with Ouse and St Helens recording temperatures of 33.9C. The Bureau of Meteorology warns that the extreme temperatures across Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia are expected to extend towards Canberra and New South Wales from Friday.
As authorities urge extreme caution, the focus remains on the looming catastrophic fire conditions, with communities on standby and emergency services mobilised for what could be a devastating 24 hours.
