Victoria braces for weekend heatwave as total fire ban declared in state’s west

A total fire ban has been declared for parts of the state as fierce temperatures are forecast for the first weekend of 2025.

Authorities said the ban would be in place for the Wimmera and South West districts on Saturday, prohibiting all open-air fires.

Most of Victoria will swelter through a low-intensity heatwave, and some pockets, including Melbourne, will endure a severe heatwave at the weekend, before a cool change on Monday.

A sunny 38 degrees is expected in the city on Saturday, followed by a top of 37 on Sunday. Melburnians can expect the overnight temperature to remain above 24 degrees.

“So you don’t get that relief … it really affects your body,” said State Control Centre spokesperson Reegan Key. “The key thing … is just to stay hydrated, to stay cool.”

An extreme fire danger rating is in place for the Wimmera region on Saturday, including the Grampians National Park, where an out-of-control bushfire has burnt 76,000 hectares and destroyed several homes.

Milder conditions in the new year have reduced the immediate threat and given firefighters time to take preventive action, but Key said the fire remained a problem.

“We’ve still got some tricky days ahead for the fire. Hot and dry days are tricky days for fires,” she said.

On Thursday, Vic Emergency reported that some visitors had been trying to enter the national park. The park remained closed and “incredibly dangerous” to visit, the agency said in a statement.

Victorian minister Harriet Shing said on Friday that power supplies shouldn’t be affected by the hot weather.

“There should not be any need for blackouts or for a reduction in supply as a result of the hotter weather ahead,” Shing said. “We do want to make sure, however, that people are being energy efficient about the way in which they’re cooling their homes.”

V/Line said it was expecting to operate a full extreme heat timetable on the Ballarat, Ararat, Maryborough, Seymour, Shepparton, Geelong, Warrnambool, Traralgon and Bairnsdale lines on Saturday.

Only Portland and the surrounding south-western parts of Victoria would avoid the worst of the heat, said weather bureau meteorologist Helen Reid.

The Grampians fire remains a concern for firefighters. Credit: Justin McManus

“We have got some 40 [degree days] … at the Mallee, they’ve got some 41 degrees for both Saturday and Sunday ... 40 [degrees] for Shepparton and Echuca, and that’s for Sunday,” said Reid.

“The whole of the state is going to be affected by this – really emphasising those overnight low temperatures aren’t going to be very low.”

With crowds expected to flock to beaches and pools during the heatwave and across the school holidays, emergency services have urged caution around water.

“Children drowning often occurs silently and without warning after accidental falls, with children aged under four most at risk,” said Ambulance Victoria’s Dale Armstrong.

“Always supervise children near water and learn CPR, in case of an emergency.”

Royal Life Saving Australia reported that last summer 134 people drowned nationwide, averaging at least one life lost each day.

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