Heatwave Sweeps Australia as Officials Warn of ‘Catastrophic’ Fire Risk

Parts of Australia are bracing for extreme heat and elevated fire danger as a severe heatwave sweeps across much of the country. Officials have warned that Friday could see catastrophic fire conditions, the highest alert on Australia’s fire danger scale.

Victoria has declared a total fire ban, with schools and childcare centres in affected areas set to close. Meteorologists have described the heatwave as potentially the most significant multi-day event since the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-2020, which devastated large parts of the country.

Temperatures have already soared in several regions. Melbourne recorded 40.9°C (105.6°F) on Wednesday, while some towns in Western Australia reached 49°C. In New South Wales, Sydney is forecast to hit 42°C by Saturday, and parts of South Australia and Western Australia are also expected to exceed 40°C in the coming days.

Firefighters have been battling multiple blazes, including a large fire near Wodonga in Victoria, supported by a dozen water-bombing planes. Authorities warned that strong winds, dry lightning, and extreme heat could make fires unpredictable and uncontrollable.

Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner, Tim Wiebusch, urged residents in high-risk areas to follow their bushfire survival plans and consider evacuating early. “Prepare now and enact your bushfire survival plan. If you are in an area of forecast catastrophic fire danger, leave early to an area with a lower fire risk,” he said.

Australia’s fire danger rating system ranges from low to catastrophic, with the current warnings indicating unprecedented risks for parts of the south-east. Residents are being advised to stay alert as the heatwave intensifies over the coming days.