Sydney: Australia faced one of its most severe fire days in years as dangerous heatwave conditions fuelled large bushfires across the southeast, overwhelming emergency services and threatening communities.
In Victoria, fires have burned through more than 300,000 hectares of bushland since the middle of the week, according to state authorities. At least 10 major fires remained active on Saturday, stretching emergency services as crews worked around the clock to contain rapidly shifting fire fronts.
More than 130 structures, including residential homes, have been destroyed, while power outages affected about 38,000 homes and businesses across the state. Officials said the scale and intensity of the fires marked the most serious bushfire crisis in Victoria since the catastrophic Black Summer fires of 2019–2020.
Fire conditions were also severe in neighbouring New South Wales, where several blazes near the Victorian border were burning at emergency level, the highest warning category. Temperatures soared into the mid-40s Celsius in many areas, intensifying fire behaviour and complicating containment efforts.
Sydney experienced extreme heat, with temperatures reaching 42.2 degrees Celsius, more than 17 degrees above the city’s average January maximum. Emergency services urged residents to remain alert, as the combination of heat and wind created hazardous fire conditions.
One of the largest fires, near the town of Longwood, about 112 kilometres north of Melbourne, has scorched approximately 130,000 hectares. The blaze has destroyed dozens of structures and caused extensive damage to vineyards and agricultural land, dealing a heavy blow to local farming communities.
Dozens of towns and rural settlements have been evacuated as fires advanced, while authorities have closed national parks and campgrounds to reduce the risk and allow for emergency access. Thousands of firefighters remained deployed across affected regions, supported by aircraft where conditions permitted.
Heatwave warnings remained in place across much of Victoria on Saturday, with fire weather alerts issued for large parts of the country. Forecasters said some relief was expected later in the weekend as cooler southerly winds moved in, offering firefighters a brief opportunity to gain ground against the blazes.
