Australia is confronting its most severe fire threat since the devastating 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires as extreme heatwaves blanket most of the nation. Meteorological authorities have declared severe to extreme heatwave conditions across every state and territory except Queensland, with temperatures predicted to remain dangerously elevated for multiple days.
The state of Victoria has implemented comprehensive emergency measures in response to the crisis, declaring a total fire ban for Friday. Northern regions have taken the extraordinary step of closing 450 schools and childcare facilities, alongside numerous public parks, as the official fire danger level escalates to ‘catastrophic’ – the highest possible rating on Australia’s fire danger scale.
Meteorologist Angus Hines from the Bureau of Meteorology characterized the situation as the ‘most significant event at a multi-day level for inland south-east Australia since 2019-2020.’ He emphasized that Friday would represent the ‘real peak of the current burst of heat,’ affecting virtually all of South Australia, Victoria, most of New South Wales, and parts of Tasmania.
The convergence of intensifying winds, potential thunderstorms producing minimal rainfall, and dry lightning strikes creates particularly hazardous conditions across northern Victoria. Hines warned that these elements combined would elevate fire danger to catastrophic levels.
Emergency services are already engaged in active firefighting operations. Firefighters continue battling a blaze in Longwood, northern Victoria that ignited on Wednesday, while a dozen water-carrying aircraft have been deployed to combat a major fire near Wodonga city according to ABC reports.
Temperature records are being challenged nationwide. Melbourne endured its hottest day in six years on Wednesday with temperatures reaching 40.9°C (105.6°F), while several coastal towns in Western Australia recorded staggering highs of 49°C. The heatwave is expected to intensify in New South Wales through Saturday, with Sydney anticipating temperatures of 42°C.
Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch issued grave warnings to communities in affected areas, stating that catastrophic fire conditions render potential blazes ‘unpredictable and uncontrollable.’ He urged residents to ‘prepare now and enact your bushfire survival plan,’ specifically advising those in catastrophic fire danger zones to ‘leave early to an area with a lower fire risk.’
The current situation draws ominous parallels to the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-2020, Australia’s most severe fire season on record, which resulted in dozens of fatalities and burned thousands of hectares of land. Australia’s heatwave classification system requires unusually high minimum and maximum temperatures persisting for three or more consecutive days.