Catastrophic conditions forecast as fire threat to lives and homes feared
Catastrophic or extreme bushfire conditions are expected for all of Victoria on Friday, the third day of a heatwave that officials fear could spark fires that will claim lives and destroy homes.
Country Fire Authority Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said even those who were best prepared should not try to defend their homes on Friday. He urged residents and holidaymakers in bushfire-prone areas to leave early and not wait to be told.
“Don’t plan on defending your home on days when fire danger is high,” he said. “Even well-prepared homes may not be able to withstand these conditions, and emergency services may not be able to reach you.”
The dire warnings came on Wednesday, when the state was hit by two serious bushfires and temperatures reached as high as 44.3 degrees at Longerenong, near Horsham.
Bushfire Management Victoria chief fire officer Chris Hardman said his firefighters would be unable to suppress fires larger than a single tree in extreme or catastrophic conditions.
“We will focus on a safe, comprehensive, harsh and aggressive first strike. Because [it’s] “It’s the only thing we can do under these conditions,” he said.
“If we don’t catch those fires when they’re small, really small, a tree is burning [from being struck by] If lightning strikes, then these fires will grow and have terrible effects on society.
“These are the kinds of days where we could see a lot of assets disappear.”
Avalon reached 43.2 degrees on Wednesday. Melbourne baked in temperatures above 40 degrees until the evening. The temperature in the city was not expected to fall below 20 degrees overnight.
On Wednesday evening, 12 planes and more than 100 vehicles were battling a 1,500-hectare fire at Mount Lawson State Park near Wolwa and the Murray River on the Victoria-NSW border. The arsenal included two large air tankers and an Ericsson sky crane, as well as 30 bulldozers that built more than 60 kilometers of control lines.
Two large air tankers also headed south to join the fight against a 215-hectare fire near Longwood, off the Hume Highway near Euroa, 160 kilometers north-east of Melbourne.
On Wednesday, “leave immediately” warnings were given to residents of settlements near both fires.
Fire Rescue Victoria also battled a suspicious grass fire in Greenvale, north of Melbourne. The fire was extinguished before it reached the fences of the new settlement. Police are investigating.
Smaller grass fires near Mangalore West near Maryborough and Strathbogie were also being brought under control on Wednesday evening.
While Melbourne and areas south of the Great Diving Range will get slight relief on Thursday as the southern shift drops the mercury to around 30 degrees, the state’s north will be brutally scorched above 40 degrees.
Thursday has been declared a Total Fire Ban day for the Mallee (Mildura and Swan Hill areas), north country (Echuca, Shepparton and Bendigo area), north central (Seymour, Castlemaine and Maryborough area) and north-east (Wangaratta, Wodonga). The ban means no fires can be lit outdoors and prohibits activities such as barbecues, welding and grinding.
Although a Total Fire Ban has not yet been declared on Friday, Emergency Commissioner Tim Wiebusch predicted it was likely, saying “we will be putting the entire state at a very high risk of extreme fire danger.”
“Friday is one of the days we haven’t seen in a long time,” he said. “It will be a very difficult and challenging day.”
Campers have been warned that they could face jail time if they light a campfire in the coming days, especially on Friday.
“It’s really hot outside; you probably don’t need a campfire,” Hardman said.
“If today is a Total Fire Ban day, then it is illegal to have a campfire. There are very, very serious penalties for having a campfire, a $47,000 fine and up to two years in prison.
“The reason these fines are so high is because an escaped campfire can lead to the death or loss of livelihood of Victorians. So don’t be reckless. Don’t be irresponsible. If you light a fire, you own it and you will be responsible for it.”
The Bureau of Meteorology said the worrying forecast was a result of several days of back-to-back scorching temperatures, which would make the landscape even drier, with northerly winds increasing and the possibility of lightning strikes as part of dry storms on Thursday and Friday.
“This can start fires and they can become very difficult to control in this environment,” senior meteorologist Briony Macpherson said.
Each of Melbourne’s 16 train lines experienced cancellations or delays by 5pm on Wednesday. A sprinkler system failure in the newly opened West Gate Tunnel caused city-bound lanes to be closed for at least four hours in the afternoon.
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Rachael Dexter is a journalist working on The Age’s City team. Contact her at rachael.dexter@theage.com.au, rachaeldexter@protonmail.com or via Signal at @rachaeldexter.58.Connect with: Facebook or email.
Angus Delaney is a reporter for The Age. Email him at angus.delaney@theage.com.au or contact him securely on Signal at angusdelaney.31.Connect via email.
