Firefighters order immediate evacuations in Victoria as a record-breaking heatwave fuels out-of-control bushfires and triggers health warnings.
SYDNEY: Firefighters ordered people to flee an out-of-control bushfire in southeast Australia as a severe heatwave baked much of the country.
Authorities issued an immediate emergency evacuation warning for hundreds of people in four country towns at risk from the fire in the Otways region southwest of Melbourne.
Residents in another three nearby rural areas were also urged to leave.
“Due to extreme weather today, the fire is predicted to rapidly expand and pose a threat to communities,” the warning stated.
A total fire ban was imposed on the state of Victoria, where six major bushfires were burning.
Temperatures hit a record high in the eastern state, according to preliminary data.
The temperature in the towns of Walpeup and Hopetoun, northwestern Victoria, peaked at 48.9C.
This nudged past the state’s record of 48.8C, though officials said it would need to be verified later to become official.
“Conditions are heating up across the state, and we’re seeing those 40 degree temperatures roll in,” said Country Fire Authority chief officer Jason Heffernan.
“Firefighters on the ground will now start to really notice how hot it is getting, and they’ll really start to notice the picking up of the winds,” he told public broadcaster ABC.
The heatwave forced the Australian Open to close the roof over its centre court to protect players and fans.
The temperature in Melbourne was forecast to hit 45C.
Hot air has settled across swathes of Victoria, South Australia, and New South Wales.
“Prolonged heat can affect anyone and when high heat continues for a number of days it can affect your health,” said Victoria chief health officer Caroline McElnay.
The elderly, children and people with underlying health conditions were most at risk, she warned.
“It can cause potentially fatal health problems such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke but it can also trigger events like heart attacks or stroke,” McElnay told reporters.
She urged people to stay cool and hydrated, and watch out for symptoms ranging from dizziness to cramps.
Other symptoms include a rapid pulse, a high body temperature and eventually loss of consciousness.
