{"id":16050,"date":"2026-01-27T03:50:24","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T03:50:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=16050"},"modified":"2026-01-27T03:50:24","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T03:50:24","slug":"extreme-heatwave-may-break-records-in-victoria-as-firefighters-warn-of-bushfire-risk-in-very-dry-state-bushfires","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=16050","title":{"rendered":"Extreme heatwave may break records in Victoria as firefighters warn of bushfire risk in \u2018very dry\u2019 state | Bushfires"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A day of record-breaking heat looms for Victoria<\/a>, with temperatures forecast to hit 49C in the Mallee and Melbourne facing its hottest day since Black Saturday 2009.<\/p>\n

It was 26.1C as the sun rose on Tuesday over the small Victorian town of Ouyen, the Mallee town of 1,170 people whose forecast high of 49C would break the state\u2019s temperature record of 48.8C set in Hopetoun on Black Saturday in 2009. The mercury had climbed to 47C just after lunch.<\/p>\n

The area has not recorded a drop of rainfall all January, and only 13.6mm in December. The fire danger rating on Tuesday was extreme.<\/p>\n

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Victoria faced both heat and fire emergencies, Country Fire Authority chief officer, Jason Heffernan, said. Tuesday was \u201cnot a day for complacency\u201d, he said, urging people to restrict any unnecessary travel.<\/p>\n

Sign up: AU Breaking News email<\/sub><\/a><\/p>\n

With six major fires burning across the state, the high to extreme fire conditions would increase the risk of fire spread. Authorities were particularly concerned about the Carlisle River fire in the Otways, which may pose a serious threat to homes, properties and lives. A statewide total fire ban was in place.<\/p>\n

Fire danger was extreme across much of South Australia<\/a>, including the eastern Eyre peninsula, mid north, Mount Lofty ranges, Yorke Peninsula, Kangaroo Island, Riverland, Murraylands and across the south-east. Total fire bans were in place for those districts.<\/p>\n

Heffernan told the ABC it would be a challenging day for not only firefighters, but for Victorians generally.<\/p>\n

Four zones around the Carlisle River fire have been asked to evacuate immediately<\/a>. Heffernan said the biggest bushfire danger would come in the afternoon on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do expect that fire will run today under the conditions, those hot northerly winds, but it\u2019s the change that\u2019s going to come through about 5pm with some really punchy winds, that is likely to do most of the damage and drive that fire further into the Otways,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday is a day not to be complacent. Whilst we are focus on the Walwa and the Carlisle River fire, to be frank, the state is very, very dry. Any fire that takes hold will be a challenge for community.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said communities should take care to look after elderly people, young and infirm amid the heatwave.<\/p>\n

January and all-time records were expected to tumble in parts of eastern South Australia and across Victoria on Tuesday, with temperatures approaching 50C across inland areas, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.<\/p>\n

Ouyen and Mildura in north-west Victoria were forecast to reach 49C. Mildura recorded 46.9C by 2pm .<\/p>\n

Ouyen got close to the record just two weeks ago, peaking at 47.5C on Thursday 8 January. Tuesday is the fifth day in a row that temperatures there will exceed 40C \u2013 and another four days over 40C are expected to follow, totalling a possible nine full days of extreme 40C+ temperatures.<\/p>\n

<\/svg><\/span>The town of Ouyen early on Tuesday morning. <\/span> Photograph: Ellen Smith\/The Guardian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For many in Victoria the heatwave would be difficult to fathom, senior meteorologist Jonathan How said. Anything above 48C was extremely rare for the state.<\/p>\n

Maximum temperatures of 45C were forecast for Melbourne, up to 20 degrees above average, and the hottest day for the city since Black Saturday saw temperatures reach 46.4C. Play would continue at the Australian Open, following extreme heat protocols. By early afternoon, temperatures in the city were 39C, and 44C in south-western suburbs like Laverton.<\/p>\n

On Monday, the heatwave saw Adelaide<\/a> reach 44.7C just after 5pm, the city\u2019s hottest day since 2019, and as high as 46.5C in the northern suburb of Elizabeth. Ceduna on the Eyre Peninsula hit a scorching 49.5C, the town\u2019s highest temperature recorded in 84 years of data.<\/p>\n

There was little relief overnight for Adelaide, which saw a minimum temperature of 34.1C \u2013 the city\u2019s hottest night on record. Residents woke to 35C at 6am.<\/p>\n

Victoria\u2019s chief health officer, Dr Caroline McElnay, said prolonged heat, together with high overnight temperatures, posed an increased risk of heat-related illness.<\/a><\/p>\n

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\u201cHeat?related illness can come on quickly, so it\u2019s important to know the warning signs,\u201d McElnay said.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe telltale symptoms include heavy sweating, dizziness, nausea, headache, pale or clammy skin, or feeling unusually weak or confused. If someone shows signs of heatstroke, such as very high body temperature, red hot skin, confusion or loss of consciousness, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

SA\u2019s State Emergency Service reminded people to be careful under mature trees, after crews responded to more than 50 calls for assistance with fallen trees and branches by midday Tuesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust like people, trees get heat-stressed, increasing the risk of trees dropping large branches or completely coming down,\u201d SES state duty officer Kane Murray said.<\/p>\n

A cool change was forecast to bring some relief for coastal areas of South Australia and Victoria, reaching Adelaide just after lunch on Tuesday and Melbourne by about 8-9pm in the evening.<\/p>\n

But for inland areas across Victoria, SA and New South Wales<\/a>, the severe-to-extreme heat, with temperatures in the mid-to-high 40s, was expected to persist into next weekend.<\/p>\n

Dubbo, NSW also recorded a January record, reaching 46.1C at the airport on Monday. More records could be broken on Wednesday as the heat moved into inland and western NSW and north-east Victoria.<\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s energy market operator said the power grid was prepared with sufficient generation to meet increased demand due to the heat. Network company Powercor urged households to prepare by charging phones and other devices, in case of localised outages due to the bushfires or extreme weather.<\/p>\n

It was Australia\u2019s second major heatwave for January, and came off the back of one early in January, which analysts said was made five times more likely due to global heating<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The climate crisis has increased the frequency and severity<\/a> of extreme weather events, including heatwaves and bushfires.<\/p>\n

Hotter-than-average days and nights were expected to continue until April for much of the country, according to the latest long-range forecast. Sea surface temperatures would remain warmer than average globally, including around Australia.<\/p>\n

\u2013 with additional reporting by Nick Visser<\/em> and Lisa Cox<\/em><\/p>\n