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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/dec/19/firefighters-combat-bushfires-amid-south-australia-and-victoria-heatwave
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| Victoria bushfires: state remains on alert with gusty winds and lightning forecast | Victoria bushfires: state remains on alert with gusty winds and lightning forecast |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Fires burning in extreme conditions in Victoria have been largely contained but firefighters have warned the danger is not over. | Fires burning in extreme conditions in Victoria have been largely contained but firefighters have warned the danger is not over. |
| A band of lightning moving across the state could bring more fires as temperatures hit 40C and winds gust above 100km/h, and a total fire ban across the state has been declared for Sunday. | A band of lightning moving across the state could bring more fires as temperatures hit 40C and winds gust above 100km/h, and a total fire ban across the state has been declared for Sunday. |
| More than 300 fires were reported on Saturday, and there were 100 calls for help about wind blowing down trees, but damage was minimal. | More than 300 fires were reported on Saturday, and there were 100 calls for help about wind blowing down trees, but damage was minimal. |
| “We haven’t lost a house today,” the emergency management commissioner, Craig Lapsley, told reporters on Saturday. “We’ve had some impact on outbuildings, only minor impact though. | “We haven’t lost a house today,” the emergency management commissioner, Craig Lapsley, told reporters on Saturday. “We’ve had some impact on outbuildings, only minor impact though. |
| “That’s been due to some really good firefighting.” | “That’s been due to some really good firefighting.” |
| However, there were reports of homes being destroyed and one person being trapped in a fire near Ballarat. | |
| Lapsley warned residents to watch out for lightning strikes and report if they saw smoke after 15 minutes. | Lapsley warned residents to watch out for lightning strikes and report if they saw smoke after 15 minutes. |
| “There’s no significant rain at all and we are concerned about the amount of lightning that will move through,” he said. | “There’s no significant rain at all and we are concerned about the amount of lightning that will move through,” he said. |
| The fast-moving fire burning in open country in central Victoria near Ballarat was not yet under control on Saturday evening, and residents were warned to leave. | |
| “There’s a fire to the northwest corner of Meredith that is burning in open country and will be fanned by very strong winds,” Lapsley said. | “There’s a fire to the northwest corner of Meredith that is burning in open country and will be fanned by very strong winds,” Lapsley said. |
| A fire burning out of control near Wonthaggi in Victoria’s south was brought under control and firefighters had also contained a Wandin North grassfire, which was no longer an immediate threat. | A fire burning out of control near Wonthaggi in Victoria’s south was brought under control and firefighters had also contained a Wandin North grassfire, which was no longer an immediate threat. |
| Police arrested a man after a large suspicious grass fire in Epping on Melbourne’s outskirts. | Police arrested a man after a large suspicious grass fire in Epping on Melbourne’s outskirts. |
| The 34-year-old man was arrested in Vearings Road about 12.50pm. | The 34-year-old man was arrested in Vearings Road about 12.50pm. |
| The fire took hold in grassland along the Hume Freeway and Cooper Street about 10.15am. | The fire took hold in grassland along the Hume Freeway and Cooper Street about 10.15am. |
| Ambulance Victoria operations manager Paul Holman said people needed to check on their relatives and friends in the heat. | Ambulance Victoria operations manager Paul Holman said people needed to check on their relatives and friends in the heat. |
| “We’ve already done up to a dozen cardiac arrests today unfortunately,” he told reporters. | “We’ve already done up to a dozen cardiac arrests today unfortunately,” he told reporters. |
| A cold front is predicted to move across Victoria from the west on Sunday. | A cold front is predicted to move across Victoria from the west on Sunday. |
| Severe wind warnings and extreme fire danger ratings have been issued for large parts of the state, while Melbourne is expected to have a minimum overnight temperature of 29C. | Severe wind warnings and extreme fire danger ratings have been issued for large parts of the state, while Melbourne is expected to have a minimum overnight temperature of 29C. |
| South Australia also remained in the grip of a week-long heatwave but the end is in sight, according to forecasters. | South Australia also remained in the grip of a week-long heatwave but the end is in sight, according to forecasters. |
| Related: How to cope with a heatwave | Related: How to cope with a heatwave |
| Saturday was a record-setting fourth December day where temperatures climbed above 40C – reaching 42.6C. A cool change is expected on Saturday night. | Saturday was a record-setting fourth December day where temperatures climbed above 40C – reaching 42.6C. A cool change is expected on Saturday night. |
| An SA ambulance spokeswoman said the service had been busy, but extra staff had been rostered on to help deal with increased demand. | An SA ambulance spokeswoman said the service had been busy, but extra staff had been rostered on to help deal with increased demand. |
| The blistering conditions have been blamed on a stationary high pressure system in the Tasman Sea which has been dragging hot air from the centre of Australia. | The blistering conditions have been blamed on a stationary high pressure system in the Tasman Sea which has been dragging hot air from the centre of Australia. |
| The heatwave has left an apprentice carpenter fighting for his life after he collapsed on a building site on Wednesday. | The heatwave has left an apprentice carpenter fighting for his life after he collapsed on a building site on Wednesday. |
| Travis Mellor, 17, was admitted to hospital in a critical condition and remained in a coma on Friday. | Travis Mellor, 17, was admitted to hospital in a critical condition and remained in a coma on Friday. |
| He was one of more than 100 hospital admissions over the past three days for heat-related issues, not including those admitted on Saturday. | He was one of more than 100 hospital admissions over the past three days for heat-related issues, not including those admitted on Saturday. |
| The severe heat also forced Thoroughbred Racing SA to cancel a scheduled race meeting at Morphettville racecourse in Adelaide on Saturday. | The severe heat also forced Thoroughbred Racing SA to cancel a scheduled race meeting at Morphettville racecourse in Adelaide on Saturday. |
| Wildlife and conservation parks on the Eyre Peninsula were also closed. | Wildlife and conservation parks on the Eyre Peninsula were also closed. |