This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/dec/20/firefighters-battle-victorian-blazes-as-state-continues-to-swelter
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Firefighters brace for extreme heat as bushfires rage in Victoria, NSW and ACT | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Victorian firefighters were on Sunday bracing for another intense day of extreme temperatures and strengthening winds across the state. | Victorian firefighters were on Sunday bracing for another intense day of extreme temperatures and strengthening winds across the state. |
| The major concern remained the 4,000-hectare Scotsburn fire near Ballarat, where homes were lost on Saturday. The exact number was unknown with crews unable to enter the area safely yet, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) said. | The major concern remained the 4,000-hectare Scotsburn fire near Ballarat, where homes were lost on Saturday. The exact number was unknown with crews unable to enter the area safely yet, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) said. |
| Watch and act alerts were in place for residents of Scotsburn and nearby Grenville as well as Wandin North, at the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne. | Watch and act alerts were in place for residents of Scotsburn and nearby Grenville as well as Wandin North, at the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne. |
| Residents at Grenville and nearby Mount Mercer needed to be particularly attentive on Sunday, the CFA said. | Residents at Grenville and nearby Mount Mercer needed to be particularly attentive on Sunday, the CFA said. |
| Increasing winds, scorching temperatures and very dry conditions were predicted ahead of a cool change expected to come through from around midday, with fears of dramatic wind shifts that could change the direction of the fires. | Increasing winds, scorching temperatures and very dry conditions were predicted ahead of a cool change expected to come through from around midday, with fears of dramatic wind shifts that could change the direction of the fires. |
| “Residents are urged to be vigilant,” a CFA spokesman said on Sunday. “It’s going to be very hot, very dry and very windy.” | “Residents are urged to be vigilant,” a CFA spokesman said on Sunday. “It’s going to be very hot, very dry and very windy.” |
| Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley warned Victoria’s north and Melbourne will face extreme fire danger conditions on Sunday. | Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley warned Victoria’s north and Melbourne will face extreme fire danger conditions on Sunday. |
| “Today is very similar to yesterday,” Lapsley told the Nine Network. “From 11am the winds will follow through with a south-westerly change, wind from north to south-west, which is where we lose a lot of property, fires get larger after the change, it’s the traditional foot of the fire in Victoria.” | “Today is very similar to yesterday,” Lapsley told the Nine Network. “From 11am the winds will follow through with a south-westerly change, wind from north to south-west, which is where we lose a lot of property, fires get larger after the change, it’s the traditional foot of the fire in Victoria.” |
| Hot conditions would continue throughout the day, only cooling off on Sunday night, he said. | Hot conditions would continue throughout the day, only cooling off on Sunday night, he said. |
| Extreme fire danger ratings were forecast for the north central and central districts, while severe fire danger ratings were in place for the rest of Victoria. | Extreme fire danger ratings were forecast for the north central and central districts, while severe fire danger ratings were in place for the rest of Victoria. |
| A total fire ban was in place for Sunday. | A total fire ban was in place for Sunday. |
| Total fire bans were also issued for eight areas across southern and western NSW as well as the ACT, with severe fire danger ratings in place across the same regions. | Total fire bans were also issued for eight areas across southern and western NSW as well as the ACT, with severe fire danger ratings in place across the same regions. |
| Conditions eased overnight helping firefighters contain a blaze in thick scrub near Williamtown north of Newcastle but authorities were bracing for soaring temperatures on Sunday. | Conditions eased overnight helping firefighters contain a blaze in thick scrub near Williamtown north of Newcastle but authorities were bracing for soaring temperatures on Sunday. |
| “All fires are being monitored for flare ups,” a Rural Fire Service (RFS) spokesman said. “The total fire bans have been triggered by hot dry winds, low humidity and very hot conditions that are expected on Sunday.” | “All fires are being monitored for flare ups,” a Rural Fire Service (RFS) spokesman said. “The total fire bans have been triggered by hot dry winds, low humidity and very hot conditions that are expected on Sunday.” |
| Firefighters were closely monitoring a large bushfire near the NSW-ACT border which has been burning since Wednesday night. | Firefighters were closely monitoring a large bushfire near the NSW-ACT border which has been burning since Wednesday night. |
| NSW RFS were urging people to make sure their fire plans were in place with temperatures quickly rising. | NSW RFS were urging people to make sure their fire plans were in place with temperatures quickly rising. |
| Many parts of the state were set to hit at least 40C, including the Riverina, the Central West Slopes and Plains, inland in the Hunter region and Penrith in western Sydney, according to the weather bureau. | Many parts of the state were set to hit at least 40C, including the Riverina, the Central West Slopes and Plains, inland in the Hunter region and Penrith in western Sydney, according to the weather bureau. |
| The mercury in western NSW will rise to at least 41C on Sunday, said the BOM. | The mercury in western NSW will rise to at least 41C on Sunday, said the BOM. |
| In Tasmania, fire crews were also bracing for soaring temperatures and extreme conditions on Sunday. Fire bans were in place in the state’s north and south. | |
| Tasmania Fire Service spokesman Michael Watkins said five fighters were controlled in the north of the state, and crews were attending to two other fires, but it was not yet known how bad those fires are. | |
| “At 9am it was 28C in Launceston,” he said. “Winds are already at 20-30km/h which makes it difficult for fire crews.” | |
| Conditions are likely to improve during the week but fire bans could be in place for Christmas Day as the reprieve is only expected to last a few days. | |
| Meanwhile, Adelaide was finally starting to cool down following a record run of temperatures above 40C. On Saturday temperatures in the city peaked at 43.2C at 4pm but by that evening the mercury was descending, although remaining in the high 30s during the start of the expected cool change. | Meanwhile, Adelaide was finally starting to cool down following a record run of temperatures above 40C. On Saturday temperatures in the city peaked at 43.2C at 4pm but by that evening the mercury was descending, although remaining in the high 30s during the start of the expected cool change. |
| Saturday was the fourth consecutive day where the mercury topped 40C and 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. Some crops were destroyed as 15 fires burnt, started by lightning strikes. | Saturday was the fourth consecutive day where the mercury topped 40C and 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. Some crops were destroyed as 15 fires burnt, started by lightning strikes. |
| Country Fire Service spokesman Mark Wheeler said a cool change arrived in the early hours of Sunday, with temperatures dropping significantly and rain falling across the state. | Country Fire Service spokesman Mark Wheeler said a cool change arrived in the early hours of Sunday, with temperatures dropping significantly and rain falling across the state. |
| “There are no fire events to speak of at the moment,” Wheeler said. “We effectively dodged a bullet yesterday.” | “There are no fire events to speak of at the moment,” Wheeler said. “We effectively dodged a bullet yesterday.” |