Bushfires: weather conditions ‘may not be survivable’

Catastrophic weather will lash several states battling major bushfires on Saturday.

Catastrophic weather will lash several states battling major bushfires on Saturday, with high temperatures, strong coastal winds and the possibility of dry thunderstorms exacerbating fire behaviour and creating conditions that “may not be survivable”.

Temperatures as high as 44C with very low humidity are predicted across fire grounds in NSW and Victoria, prompting authorities to declare a state of emergency in NSW and a state of disaster in Victoria.

East Gippsland, where a major fire still threatens homes and lives, is expected to reach 41C, with the chance of thunderstorms with ­little or no rainfall combining with strong winds to produce particularly dangerous conditions.

Further north in Corryong near the NSW-Victoria border, where another massive fire continues to rage, temperatures are expected to reach 43C.

“Fire weather on Saturday is predicted to be extreme, creating firestorm conditions which may not be survivable,” Vic Emergency said in a statement.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Dean Stewart said thunderstorms over fire grounds could create “pyro-convective” ­activity that, with hot and dry northwesterly winds, could significantly exacerbate conditions.

Gusty northerly winds are forecast for Saturday morning before a cooler southerly change in the afternoon, which will reach NSW by early evening.

Sydney is expected to reach 34C, with temperatures in fire-­affected areas on the NSW south coast such as Batemans Bay and Nowra reaching 44C.

The NSW Rural Fire Service said catastrophic conditions on Saturday would make fire behaviour “erratic and very dangerous”.

Severe to extreme fire danger is forecast for the Shoalhaven, south coast, Snowy Valley, Snowy Monaro (including the Koscioszuko National Park) and areas around greater Sydney, including the Southern Highlands and the lower Blue Mountains, with the potential for fires to start and spread quickly in these areas.

People battling on the NSW and Victorian fire grounds can ­expect much-needed relief from Sunday, with the BOM forecasting an average 10-20mm of rain and at least 10C cooler temperatures.

“This will have some positive impact on the fires,” Mr Stewart said. “It could potentially put some of the smaller ones out, but ­obviously the bigger ones need a lot more than that.”

Canberra will swelter to 42C on Saturday, with the ACT government declaring a state of alert, one step below a state of emergency, anticipating intense fire conditions. The BOM is predicting a high chance of showers in Canberra for Monday and temperatures 20C cooler than Saturday.

Adelaide faces much-needed relief on Saturday, with temperatures falling 18C from 42C on Friday and a chance of showers.

High temperatures and possible thunderstorms could create dangerous conditions in areas ­including Mount Isa, Thargomindah and Charleville, with Brisbane predicted to reach 31C. A chance of showers is forecast for communities around Queensland, including Cairns, Townsville and Mackay.

There will be more favourable conditions in Tasmania, with temperatures in the low to mid-20s.

Conditions will be relatively mild in Perth with a maximum of 27C and the possibility of showers.