Australia is preparing for a 'catastrophic' bushfire emergency on Friday, 9 Jan 2024 GMT+7, as a heatwave covers nearly all states nationwide, driving temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. Meteorologists warn this is the most severe situation since the "Black Summer" fires six years ago.
Australian authorities have raised the bushfire alert to the highest level in several areas after the Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe heatwave warning affecting nearly every state and territory except Queensland. Temperatures are expected to remain high for several more days.
Victoria state has declared a total ban on lighting fires for Friday, 9 Jan 2024 GMT+7, and escalated the bushfire risk to "Catastrophic," the highest of four alert levels. As a result, more than 450 schools and childcare centers will temporarily close for safety.
Tim Wiebusch, Victoria's Emergency Management Commissioner, warned that the catastrophic risk level means bushfires may "be unpredictable and uncontrollable." He urged residents in high-risk areas to evacuate immediately to safety.
The heatwave intensified starting Wednesday, setting notable records such as Melbourne experiencing its hottest day in six years, reaching 40.9 degrees Celsius. In Western Australia, some coastal towns saw temperatures soar to 49 degrees Celsius, while Sydney is forecast to peak at 42 degrees Celsius on Saturday.
Angus Hines, a meteorologist from the Bureau of Meteorology, said Friday will mark the "peak" of the heatwave, accompanied by strong winds and dry thunderstorms—thunderstorms without rain—which are a major ignition source for bushfires to spread rapidly.
Experts note that this event represents the longest-lasting and most widespread heatwave since the "Black Summer" fires, which raged across Australia's east coast from late 2019 to early 2020, destroying millions of hectares, thousands of homes, and blanketing cities in toxic smoke.
Currently, firefighters in Victoria and New South Wales are racing to control multiple fires, deploying more than 10 water-bombing aircraft near Wodonga to prevent the fires from spreading into residential areas.
,BBC