High Alert for Bushfires as Victoria Faces Rising Temperatures and Extreme Conditions

As temperatures soared across Victoria on Wednesday, authorities remained on high alert for bushfires, emphasizing that the state was not yet “out of the woods.” Catastrophic conditions were forecast in the Wimmera region in the state’s west, while half of Victoria was under an extreme fire danger rating. Residents in the state’s west had been issued a final warning to evacuate earlier in the day.

Luke Hegarty, spokesperson for the Victorian State Control Centre, highlighted the heightened vigilance as cloud cover cleared, temperatures escalated, and winds intensified late in the afternoon. He stressed that conditions in southwest Victoria and the Wimmera were aligning with earlier forecasts, cautioning that it would take a few more hours before authorities could confidently declare the situation under control.

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Stephanie Miles, senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), reported ongoing temperature increases and gusty conditions, with wind gusts reaching 60-80km/h in western Victoria. She anticipated that the westerly change, expected after 6 pm, could exacerbate conditions, especially around the Bayindeen fire.

BoM records indicated extreme temperatures, with Walpeup hitting 43.5°C and Hopetoun reaching 42.6°C. Jason Heffernan, Chief Officer of the Country Fire Authority (CFA), urged residents to reconsider defending their homes, emphasizing that no house is designed to withstand catastrophic conditions. He advised those unprepared to leave early, warning of the risks associated with staying behind.

A cool change was anticipated in central Victoria after 8 pm, but it was expected to bring wind gusts of up to 80km/h and dry lightning, posing further challenges for firefighters. While the Bayindeen bushfire had been contained, firefighters remained vigilant for potential breaches due to forecasted windy conditions.

The CFA incident controller, Jarrod Hayse, emphasized the ongoing monitoring of the fire perimeter, particularly given the risk of containment line breaches. Efforts were focused on protecting communities impacted by the fire, which had already destroyed six homes since it began last Thursday.

Overnight and into Wednesday morning, authorities had urged over 30,000 Victorians living in the potential fire zone between Ballarat and Ararat to evacuate. Reinforcements from New South Wales, alongside thousands of Victorian firefighters and over 60 aircraft, were deployed to assist in firefighting efforts.

Meanwhile, eastern South Australia also faced extreme fire danger, with seven districts under an extreme fire danger rating. Emergency services minister Joe Szakacs warned of the harsh weather conditions, underscoring the challenges faced by firefighters this summer.