Victorian towns evacuated as bushfires rage, heatwave spreads across Aus
Towns in Victoria were evacuated and thousands were left without power as out-of-control bushfires and a scorching heatwave ravaged southern Australia.
Tuesday’s extreme heat broke records across the country, making it the hottest January day ever for towns in South Australia and NSW, with temperatures reported as low as 50C.
Renmark in SA recorded a peak of 49.6C, while Fowlers Gap in NSW was a close second at 49.1C.
In Victoria, Walelup and Hopetoun recorded a scorching 48.9 degrees, the hottest day ever recorded in the state. This was followed by Mildura with a maximum temperature of 48.8 degrees.
More than 27,000 residents in western Victoria were left without power overnight as crews worked to restore power amid “challenging conditions”.
A CitiPower spokesman said bushfires in the Otway region had caused power outages to around 3000 residents in Carlisle River, Lavers Hill, Johanna, Cape Otway, Beech Forrest and Gellibrand.
“Given the hazardous conditions associated with this active fire, we are unable to give customers an estimated restoration time at this stage and advise that it may be days before we can safely begin repairs,” they said.
Thousands of people were left without electricity on Wednesday morning.
Firefighters are focusing on a fire burning at Walwa on the Victorian border, which is spreading further due to strong winds from the north.
Dozens of town residents have been ordered to leave their homes and thousands of properties are at risk as the fires grow and intensify.
Country Fire Authority (CFA) chief officer Jason Heffernen told Today Tuesday was a difficult day for those fighting the fires.
“It was a very challenging day for the firefighters and they were incredibly successful in keeping the fires where they were for so long,” he said.
A watch and act warning was in place for the Berringama, Bucheen Creek, Bullioh, Cravensville, Koetong, Lucyvale, Nariel Gap, Shelley, Thowgla Upper and Thowsgla Valley areas, with residents saying these areas were “not safe to return to”.
Residents in the state’s Otway region have also been urged to take shelter immediately, as leaving there could be too deadly.
An emergency warning is in place for Gellibrand, Barongarook, Barongarook West, Kawarren, Carlisle River and Gerangamete.
“You are in danger and need to act now to survive,” the Vic Emergency alert read.
“The safest option is to take shelter inside immediately. It is too late to leave. Leaving now would be fatal.”
Extreme fire danger warnings are in place for the North East and Wimmera regions, where very hot and dry northern winds blow, which could lead to intense fire danger on Wednesday afternoon.
Heat wave will continue despite cold weather change
While sweltering temperatures began to dissipate in Melbourne overnight, other parts of Victoria will face another day of extreme heat.
Melbourne residents can breathe easy as cool southerly winds blow away the heat, with temperatures expected to reach a maximum of 24C on Wednesday.
Severe and extreme conditions are expected to continue across inland Victoria; A severe heatwave warning is in place for the Mallee, Wimmera, Northern Country, East Gippsland, West and South Gippsland and North Central regions.
As the heat moves out of SA and central Victoria, muggy conditions are starting to spread into inland NSW.
Sydney will start feeling the heat on Wednesday, with the mercury reaching 29°C by midday.
An extreme heatwave warning has been issued for the Snowy Mountains, South West Slopes and Upper West regions, with temperatures predicted to reach the mid-to-high 40s in the west of the ranges by the end of the week.
Meanwhile, a severe heatwave warning has been set for the Northern Highlands, Central Downs, Southern Downs, North West Hills and Plains, Central West Hills and Plains, Riverina and Lower West regions, with affected areas covering Armidale, Albury, Broken Hill, Bourke, Dubbo, Deniliquin, Moree, Orange, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga.
“Severe heatwave conditions have eased across the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers regions, but low intensity heatwave conditions will continue,” the Bureau of Meteorology website said.
