Thousands of firefighters continue to battle bushfires across four states as catastrophic weather conditions saw parts of Victoria and South Australia swelter through the hottest days on record.
Dozens of homes and businesses were under threat and residents forced to evacuate as three out-of-control fires continued to burn on Friday afternoon in the Adelaide Hills, on Yorke Peninsula and another at one at Angle Vale in the northern suburbs, and one near Maitland on Yorke Peninsula.
Dry lightning strikes have started to impact the greater Adelaide region, prompting fears of further fires.
According to local news reports, a well-known vineyard in the Adelaide Hills was burning near Charleston in the middle of the out-of-control Cudlee Creek fire.
I got married at Golding wines and it’s vineyard is on fire!
Thoughts with all the @CFSAlerts risking their lives to fight fires near Cudlee Creek, Lobethal and Woodside.
I have 3 family members who live within 5km of here.
Need the cool change ASAP.@7NewsAdelaide https://t.co/QsG9ph66cz
— Rob Cornthwaite (@robcornthwaite) December 20, 2019
SA’s Country Fire Service said about 30 fires had been sparked as record temperatures were recorded at Renmark Airport, 48.3 degrees, while Murray Bridge Airport hit 48.1 degrees and Keith West 48.8.
Victoria is sweltering through its hottest December day on record, with Hopetoun in the state’s north-west cracking 47.4 degrees, with 27 new fires burning across the state.
Most of the state was also blanketed in smoke from NSW, which had reduced visibility to about one kilometre in places, Victoria’s Bureau of Meteorology said.
A total fire ban remains in place for the state, with the risk of fire ‘very high’ to ‘extreme’.
At 3.30pm on Friday, Melbourne’s temperature was 41.8 degrees, with a forecast of 44 degrees later in the afternoon. That would put it close to the day of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, when it hit 46.4 degrees.
As six areas in South Australia were declared catastrophic fire conditions, a cool change was forecast later on Friday and dry lightning strikes expected, with at least 6000 homes still without power.
Smoke is extending over #Victoria this morning from the #nswfires and the Gippsland fires, reducing visibility to around 1km in places. The smoke will gradually disperse over the next few hours, although generally hazy conditions are expected right across Victoria today. pic.twitter.com/T8AdM2RoHv
— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) December 20, 2019
In South Australia, a gusty wind shift late in the afternoon was expected to cause added dramas, with the CFS warning that if fires started, they would be almost impossible to contain.
“Under these conditions, they will be so erratic and move so fast and develop so quickly it doesn’t matter how many firefighters, we’re not going to stop the forward spread of these fires,” Deputy Chief Officer Andrew Stark said.
“These are certainly the most dangerous conditions we’ve faced this season.”
Meanwhile, as the NSW Rural Fire Service issued a warning for a day of catastrophic danger across the state on Saturday.
The service was earlier rallying after the deaths of two experienced volunteer firefighters on Thursday, both with partners and babies, as NSW endured another “dangerously hot” day.
Firefighters & aircraft continue to work to slow the spread of the Green Wattle Fire. The fire burns west of the Hume Hwy near Bargo, Buxton, Couridjah & Tahmoor. Weather conditions are expected to deteriorate tomorrow with very hot, dry & windy conditions forecast. #NSWRFS pic.twitter.com/Bdhdzw2LJ3
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) December 20, 2019
BOM acting NSW manager Jane Golding said temperatures would again rise into the mid-40s, with Penrith expecting a maximum of 47 degrees and coastal areas hitting the mid-to-high 30s.
“That’s dangerously hot weather,” she said.
She said there was some respite on the way for NSW as the southerly change moved eastwards towards the ranges.
A week-long state of emergency has been declared in NSW granting special powers to RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons and a statewide total fire ban remains in place.
On Friday afternoon, the RFS said the Greater Sydney, Illawarra-Shoalhaven and southern ranges would face catastrophic fire danger on Saturday. The Greater Hunter and central ranges will experience extreme fire danger.
Victoria urged not to be complacent
Swan Hill and Mildura, in Victoria’s far north-west are expected to reach 47 degrees on Friday. Mildura’s current December record is 44 degrees.
The fire danger rating will be very high to extreme across all Victorian regions and there is a statewide total fire ban with firefighters attending 17 grass fires across the state.
Emergency Victoria stressed the need to be bushfire ready, preparing and cleaning properties and developing an escape plan.
A southerly wind will bring on a cool change by the end of Friday, but thunderstorms without rain are likely, bringing the threat of lightning strikes.
Almost 500 firefighters are battling three uncontained fires in East Gippsland with 84 trucks and 41 dozers on the ground, the County Fire Authority says.
Another 118 firefighters are patrolling blazes at Somerton, on Melbourne’s northern fringes, while more than 260 firefighters remain at the contained Tambo Crossing fire.
Public Transport Victoria said extreme heat timetables will be in place on V/Line services, while Yarra Trams said services would be altered on Friday.
People across the three states are being urged to check on their neighbours, infants, the elderly and expectant mothers in the extreme heat.
“Asking someone inside to escape the heat of the day to see a film, swim in one of our pools or relax in an air-conditioned room could help prevent them becoming seriously unwell,” councillor Beverley Pinder said.
Queensland volatile
Firefighters are on high alert as the punishing heatwave pushes into south-east Queensland, creating scorching conditions and severe fire danger.
Almost 70 fires are burning across Queensland, up from 55 on Thursday, as the fire threat deepens.
Conditions are forecast to improve along the Queensland coast into next week but residents should remain on alert, the Bureau of Meteorology said.
“It is vital not to become complacent when hearing these continued warnings,’ forecaster Rosa Hoff told media on Friday
“The danger is as real as it was the first day we experienced it in Queensland.”
-with AAP
