Fire threat extended as heat settles in for summer

Victorians are in for a hot and dry summer and fire authorities will remain on high alert as last year’s record warm weather persists into 2019, prolonging the fire season.

Victorians are in for a hot and dry summer as last year’s record warm weather persists into 2019.

Fire authorities will also ­remain on high alert for a ­prolonged fire season.

“We are on a reasonably vigilant footing for further fire weather, given the long stretch of warm and dry weather leading into this summer,” said Dr Karl Braganza, head of climate monitoring at the Bureau of Meteorology.

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“That’s the sort of situation that fire agencies don’t like to see, and that’s what we’ve got this year. Those authorities are certainly being vigilant.”

The conditions were ­predicted to remain consistent with warm and dry patterns ­established in 2018.

Bureau of Meteorology long-range forecaster Dr Andrew Watkins said: “We’re looking at average to drier-than-average conditions.

Melbourne is predicted to hit 32C on Friday and then jump to 37C by Monday. Picture: Nicole Garmston

“The odds are really high for having warmer than ­normal days and warmer than normal nights.

“Not a lot of rain to speak of on the horizon. And we still have that risk of heatwave conditions looking forward.”

Melbourne is predicted to hit 32C on Friday and then jump to 37C by Monday.

Last year was Australia’s third-warmest on record, with every state and territory ­recording above-average temp­eratures, according to the ­bureau’s annual climate ­statement. The national average temperature last year was 1.14C above the average for 1961-1990 — and 2018 just pipped 2017, which previously held third place.

The sun peeks through the patchy cloud, heralding a pleasantly mild day across #Melbourne. Heating up from Friday onwards, particularly in Northern #Vic. https://t.co/GyjtuPWyEk pic.twitter.com/lKcUUEtWc8

— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) January 9, 2019

“We’ve had the fourth and third warmest years now consecutively with 2017 and 2018,” Dr Braganza said.

“We had some significant heatwaves to end the year.”

Nine of the 10 warmest years on record in Australia have occurred since 2005.

The Bureau of Meteorology also said rainfall totals in ­Australia in 2018 were the lowest since 2005.

The total was 11 per cent below the 1961-1990 average, but many areas experienced significantly lower average rainfalls.