Firefighters are battling dangerous bushfire conditions across Victoria, where temperatures have soared above 40°C, marking one of the hottest days this season. The extreme heat and dry lightning have significantly heightened the risk of uncontrollable fires.
On Monday, temperatures reached alarming levels—Melbourne recorded highs surpassing 40°C, with Point Cook and Avalon both hitting 42°C, and Mildura and Swan Hill peaking at 43°C. This heatwave led to the implementation of a total fire ban across several regions, including Mallee, Wimmera, South-West, North-Central, and Central, which includes metropolitan Melbourne.
Residents were alerted as strong northerly winds contributed to the fire danger, which was categorized as extreme. A "watch and act" alert was issued for the Little Desert National Park shortly before 2 p.m. due to rapidly spreading wildfires. Authorities advised residents of Nhill and surrounding areas to evacuate immediately as the situation worsened.
Luke Heagerty, the State Control Centre spokesperson, confirmed the severity of the situation. "There's a lot of energy this fire is creating, and what it means is it's effectively creating its own weather system," he explained. This phenomenon raises concerns about the fire's progression, prompting safety measures including evacuation orders for communities like Dimboola, Pimpinio, and Wail.
Reports indicated the Little Desert fire had expanded to over 50,000 hectares. Describing the situation, Heagerty noted, "To give you an idea, the area that's burnt through is just less than what burnt through the Grampians fire a few weeks ago—over 21 days." The gravity of this wildfire situation led to urgent warnings for residents both north and south of the fire.
The Bureau of Meteorology supported these warnings, with meteorologist Dean Narramore stating, "The hot, dry, and windy conditions have made any significant fires uncontrollable and uncontainable." With thunderstorms brewing, there was concern dry lightning might ignite new fires, especially across western districts. The ensuing chaos led to significant infrastructural impact, with approximately 5,300 customers reported without power.
With the change of winds anticipated, Heagerty urged residents to evacuate whilst daylight permitted safe travel on roads. “We’re going to have this warning for Dimboola until 8am tomorrow; we want people to get out tonight whilst there’s still some daylight,” he warned.
Meanwhile, another fire erupted near Rokewood, prompting evacuation alerts for additional communities like Barunah Park, Corindhap, and Shelford. The rapid, out-of-control spread of these fires is alarming, pushing emergency services to manage multiple threats simultaneously.
Overnight, firefighters responded to another dramatic incident where a blaze engulfed a house on Lady Nelson Way, Taylors Lakes, late at night. Structural collapse initially hampered rescue efforts, but this fire was brought under control by early morning.
On the ground, governments and rescue operations are continuously adapting to the situation as it evolves. The forecasted cool change coming to Melbourne around 6 p.m. could offer some respite, but strong winds are expected to accompany the temperature drop, making conditions potentially hazardous.
Tourists and campers currently within the fire-risk areas have been strongly advised to evacuate. The rainfall predicted, rather than alleviating fires, could complicate existing conditions with increased smokiness and unpredictable weather phenomena.
This current disaster stands as another grim chapter for Victorian fire authorities, reflecting the persistent threats bushfires pose within the state. Heagerty referred to Monday's series of emergencies as "a reverse Boxing Day" as holidaymakers returned, underscoring local infrastructure's strain during peak travel periods.
Authorities remain on alert as they brace for the potentially sustained threat of bushfires and continue issuing regular warnings to keep residents informed and safe.