Catastrophic Fire Danger Looms Over Southeast

Today, we're expecting extreme fire dangers across southern parts of South Australia and for the Riverina district of New South Wales as well. But just focusing in on Victoria extreme fire dangers with fire weather warnings are current right across the state reaching catastrophic for the southwest, the Wimmera, the northern country and the north central districts.

Now, any fires that are ongoing or are ignited within this area will spread very quickly and be difficult to control or unable to be controlled. It's a very hot day that's contributing to these fire dangers, with maximum temperatures in the low to mid 40s extending all the way from Melbourne up through the interior. In fact, for the Melbourne metro area forecasting maximum temperatures between 43 to 45 degrees.

Now there's also a severe weather warning for damaging wind gusts. This is associated with the cold front. With have those hot, dry and gusty north northwesterly winds ahead of it. With these wind gusts in excess of 90km/h anywhere within this yellow area.

Now winds of this strength have the potential to bring down trees, power lines, cause power outages, and create really hazardous driving conditions. In addition to that, there's also severe thunderstorms that are possible, again, associated with that cold front extending from South Australia all the way down into Victoria, but are most likely throughout central and western parts of Victoria.

Now, damaging wind gusts are possible with these severe storms that can create really erratic fire behavior. But as well, the thunderstorms are expected to be very high based, with most of the rainfall evaporating before it reaches the ground, which means there is a risk of dry lightning igniting new fires.

So there is a number of contributing factors that's making today a particularly dangerous fire day. We've had the recent heatwave conditions with the extreme heat that's dried the landscape out considerably, leading to an increased fuel load. Plus, as well, we've got the dry lightning potentially igniting new fires and a wind change.

Now, wind changes are notoriously difficult to fight fires in and create really erratic fire behavior. But as well we have those damaging wind gusts as well. So I thought I'd show you the wind change and where to expect it across the region. So here it is with this blue line.

We're expecting it to push into southwestern parts of Victoria during the early afternoon, and then a line generally reaching between Mildura and Melbourne by the early evening. As we head into this evening, it moves eastward into northern country of Victoria and also skirts across the southern coast of Gippsland as well. We're not expecting it to reach the North Eastern Fire districts until tomorrow morning, though.

As we head into tomorrow, there will be much cooler conditions behind the cold front, with maximum temperatures in the mid 20s for Victoria and also for southern parts of South Australia. But that heat really does contract into eastern parts of New South Wales.

In fact, tomorrow is expected to be the hottest day this week for Sydney, forecasting a maximum of 42 degrees but even warmer about those western suburbs. Now, damaging wind gusts are also possible throughout elevated parts of south eastern parts of New South Wales tomorrow. So a combination of those windy conditions with the high temperatures will elevate fire dangers through the area.

So we're forecasting extreme fire dangers, including across the Sydney metropolitan area with fire weather warnings to be issued. But as well some extreme fire dangers through eastern parts of Tasmania too.

So today is shaping up to be a particularly dangerous fire weather situation across south eastern parts of the country. Now's the time to stay up to date with our warnings via the Bureau website, App or social media. And as always, listen to the advice from your local emergency services. Bye for now.