By Hannah Kennelly
Victoria is facing the worst fire-risk day since the Black Summer bushfires, as a catastrophic fire danger warning has been issued for the state’s north-west ahead of very hot and windy forecast conditions on Tuesday.
Firefighters are preparing for an “extremely challenging day”, with temperatures in the Wimmera, Mallee and northern country regions set to reach about 40 degrees and winds reaching up to 50km/h, emergency management commissioner Rick Nugent said.
Victoria is bracing for the most dangerous fire conditions since the Black Summer fires of 2019-20.
People in bushfire-prone areas within these regions have been urged to leave ahead of worsening conditions.
A total fire ban for many parts of the state has been extended to Melbourne, where temperatures are set to soar to 37 degrees and winds could reach up to 55km/h on Tuesday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. But the city will get a wet reprieve in the afternoon, with showers and a chance of a thunderstorm expected before a cool change sweeps through at about 8pm.
The bureau’s Kevin Parkyn said Tuesday would be the state’s worst fire-risk day since the Black Summer bushfire period.
“I have been in this game for a number of years, and it looks like these places are probably the worst I have seen since the 2019-20 summer fires,” Parkyn said at a press conference on Monday.
The meteorologist said little rain over the last few weeks had dried out the grasslands across the state, further increasing fire risk.
“The wind change we are expecting tomorrow is probably the strongest that I have seen or potentially seen, as it sweeps across the southwest during the late morning,” he said. “We are expecting it to move into the Wimmera and Mallee during the afternoon and probably through the suburbs of Melbourne between 4pm and 6pm.”
CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said the safest option for people currently in high bushfire-risk areas within the Wimmera area was to start planning to leave on Monday night or early on Tuesday morning.
“Tomorrow’s conditions will put you and your families lives at risk if a fire starts and takes hold,” he said.
“Don’t wait for an official warning before you leave – emergencies can start quickly and threaten lives and homes within minutes.”
Heffernan encouraged residents in high-risk areas to download the Vic Emergency app and tune into their local emergency broadcasters.
“Finally, check on your neighbours, know your community and check on anyone that may be vulnerable as a result.”
Nugent said emergency services workers had undertaken extensive planning and preparation ahead of Tuesday, including by placing aircraft in high-risk areas.
A total fire ban has been declared for the Mallee, Wimmera, South West, Northern Country, North Central and Central regions, including Melbourne and Geelong.
A total fire ban means no fire can be lit in the open air or allowed to remain alight between 12.01am and 11.59pm.
A catastrophic fire warning was last issued during the Black Summer bushfires in 2019 and 2020, when 33 people died, 3000 homes were destroyed and more than 17 million hectares of land burnt.
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