Melbourne weather: Fire fear as heat ramps up over weekend

EMERGENCY services are bracing for a busy weekend, with authorities warning heat- related deaths are likely as the mercury hits 40C in parts of the state.

EMERGENCY services are bracing for a busy weekend, with authorities warning heat- related deaths are likely as the mercury hits 40C in parts of the state.

Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley said the weekend would likely be a “turning point” as Victoria headed into the most dangerous part of the fire season.

“We’ve seen a very drying period of very hot weather in northern Victoria that is baking the landscape,” he said.

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Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley says this weekend will likely be a “turning point” as Victoria heads into the most dangerous part of the fire season.

Lightning strikes in the state’s north and Gippsland on Thursday night had fire crews battling several blazes ahead of the weekend.

“We’ve had aircraft in the sky from break of day ... detecting any other fires that might be out there,” Mr Lapsley said.

Melbourne is set to swelter through today and tomorrow.

Essendon and Tullamarine recorded 100 per cent relative humidity yesterday morning, while Ferny Creek, 33km from the CBD, was at 99 per cent.

Senior Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Rod Dickson said thunderstorms were ­expected in Melbourne in the next two days.

The temperature is forecast to reach 32C today before soaring to 39C tomorrow.

Chief Health Officer Professor Charles Guest said heat health alerts for tomorrow had been issued across the state as health services braced for ­extreme-heat fatalities.

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