Victoria Staring Down Worst Fire Conditions Since Black Summer Of 2019-20; High Risk In NSW

Victoria is preparing to face the most dangerous fire conditions since the 2019–20 black summer, with help from neighbouring states on the way. State Control Centre spokesperson Luke Hegarty said authorities were focused on preparing for very serious conditions forecast for Thursday and Friday. “We’re expecting to see extreme fire danger across almost the entire state, with a total fire ban likely across the same area,” he said.

“This is the most significant fire danger that the state has seen – across the whole sections of state that we’re talking about – since black summer. It’s important that people understand that Thursday is a day with serious potential.” He advised people to check the VicEmergency app or website and avoid travel on Boxing Day.

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Both western and northern parts of Western Australia were also facing heatwave conditions on Monday. Perth was forecast to reach a top of 41C, while Midland – 15km from the CBD – had a forecast maximum of 44C. Further north conditions could reach 46C, Hines said, with warm and breezy conditions increasing fire dangers. Victorian and South Australian authorities are both preparing for catastrophic and extreme conditions on Boxing Day. Hines described this as a “spike day” when both temperatures and fire danger would climb “quite sharply” due to a change in weather pattern.

On Sunday the Victorian Country Fire Authority’s deputy chief officer, Garry Cook, urged anyone travelling on Boxing Day to download the VicEmergency app before they left. Towns and tourism providers were already nervous in Victoria as a massive bushfire cut through the state’s west at the weekend. The Grampians national park blaze had burned through more than 41,000 hectares by Monday morning – about more than 20% of the park’s footprint – and forced several towns to evacuate before pivoting north-east late on Sunday, prompting evacuation warnings for hamlets east of the park.

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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/23/immediate-fire-threat-moves-to-nsw-as-victoria-continues-to-battle-grampians-blaze