SYDNEY: Australia is grappling with a severe bushfire crisis as unseasonably hot and dry conditions grip the southeastern regions. In Victoria state, a bushfire in the eastern part of the Gippsland region swelled more than threefold overnight, consuming around 17,000 hectares (66 square miles). High winds exacerbated the situation, challenging the efforts of 650 firefighters deployed by state fire authorities.
Jason Heffernan, Chief Officer at Country Fire Authority Victoria, expressed the challenges faced by the firefighting teams, stating, “It is quite a large fire spread across a large area… It’s proving to be quite difficult, burning in private property but also some pine plantations.”
Simultaneously, across the Bass Strait in Tasmania state, residents on the northern edge of Flinders Island were urged to evacuate due to an uncontrollable bushfire.
Hot and Dry Winds Intensify Bushfires in Australia
The fires have been intensified by hot, dry winds, creating a dangerous situation as the country experiences an unusual heatwave during spring. Australia began spring with its driest September on record, with rainfall plummeting to 71% below the 1961-1990 average, as reported by the Bureau of Meteorology.
In response to the escalating crisis, New South Wales authorities have imposed a ban on open fires across vast areas of the state, including the Greater Sydney Region, where temperatures are anticipated to reach a scorching 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 F) in the afternoon. As of Tuesday morning, 82 fires were reported across the state, with 16 of them yet to be contained.
While conditions in Victoria are expected to change rapidly in the afternoon, bringing heavy rains that could assist in firefighting efforts, there is a concern about potential flash flooding.
