Intense Heatwave Grips Southern Australia, Fueling Bushfires

The temperature in southern Australia spiked to over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday which is the hottest it has been throughout the last six years causing a number of cities to experience extreme heat. Many states received warnings for potential health hazards and because of the extreme temperature many people were expected to seek emergency care. Power networks were under a significant amount of pressure due to the large number of electricity demand created by the heat and bushfires erupted throughout many regions.

The heatwave this week has been clearly identified by meteorologists as the most intense in nearly 6 years, signaling to many that an environmental disaster was imminent and was similar to the conditions leading up to the catastrophic "Black Summer" fire season which killed 33 people, devastated large areas of southeast Australia and destroyed an untold amount of land.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued significant and extreme heat alerts for New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania as well as extreme fire danger warnings for the State of Victoria and South Australia. According to meteorologist Sarah Scully, the elevated fire danger is a result of a significant mass of hot air moving down from Western Australia with maximum temperatures of greater than 45 degree Celsius (113 degree Fahrenheit).

Victoria experienced extremely high temperatures yesterday, reaching 44°C in some areas and 41°C in the City of Melbourne. The Government of Victoria has strongly encouraged all citizens to remain indoors, ensure that they are well hydrated, and limit any unnecessary activity outside during the day. There are currently multiple active wildfires throughout the State, according to Commissioner Tim Wiebusch, and as weather conditions continue to worsen over the next few days, firefighters will be presented with even more challenges in fighting these fires.

"We've had a statewide warning for heatwave conditions for several weeks now, and today we are experiencing the full effect of those conditions," Wiebusch stated. "We are asking Victorians to stay vigilant with their health, take care of themselves, and to try to keep themselves cool."

Ms, A statement from the Bureau of Meteorology indicates temperatures have reached 43°C in Adelaide, while the temperatures have been considerably cooler; 32°C in Perth and 31°C in Sydney. In response to the heatwave, a number of public facilities have extended opening hours (e.g. libraries) as a means of providing assistance to residents looking for a cooler location; however, other venues, including Monarto Safari Park, have closed for the day. Additionally, due to extreme heat, over 2000 homes have lost power in Adelaide.

Despite the intensity, some residents remained philosophical. “Psychologically, you just have to stay calm and not panic,” Adelaide resident Valdine Tuckwell told national broadcaster ABC. “It’s only two or three days, and then it eases.”