Heavy forest fires have been raging in southeastern Australia for days. But the worst is apparently yet to come: high heat combined with strong winds could lead to “catastrophic conditions” in the coming days, authorities warned.
There is a particular danger in the Wimmera region west of Melbourne and in five other regions of Victoria state. In some cases, temperatures well above 40 degrees are expected. Tens of thousands of residents must, if possible, be safe by Wednesday morning (local time) at the latest. “I would be leaving around lunchtime at the latest as the weather conditions get quite bad after noon,” said local fire chief Jason Heffernan.
Major fire not under control
Meanwhile, the intense fire around the city of Ballarat, which has been raging for days, is still not under control. More than 20,000 hectares of land and six houses have already fallen victim to the flames.
One of “probably the most dangerous days”
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said it was “probably one of the most dangerous days Victoria has seen in recent years”. As a precaution, almost 100 schools and kindergartens must therefore remain closed on Wednesday. Three national parks were also closed to visitors as a precaution, including the Grampians National Park, which is popular for its beautiful landscapes and rugged mountains. More than 60 fire-fighting aircraft were ready.
Worst fires since the “black summer”
9News reported that the region was experiencing its worst fires since the devastating ‘black summer’ of 2019-2020. During that time, weeks of wildfires destroyed more than twelve million hectares of land, and countless animals were injured, killed or driven from their habitats.
Source: Krone
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