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Firefighters in the Australian state of Victoria are battling at least six major blazes as a record-breaking heatwave hits the country’s southeast.
Two fires are currently at “emergency level,” local broadcaster ABC News reported. Some communities have received emergency warnings asking them to either evacuate, watch and wait, or shelter in place.
Fire officials warned the situation was changing rapidly and asked locals to stay informed of the latest warnings.
The Bureau of Meteorology said temperatures hit record highs in some parts of the state, with one area reaching a maximum temperature of 48.9 degrees Celsius. Melbourne recorded a maximum temperature of 41 degrees Celsius.
Chris Hardman, chief fire officer at the Victorian Bushfire Management Centre, told reporters the state’s heat conditions were making working conditions for firefighters “extremely difficult”.
Two fires in Camperdown and Otway are under a state of emergency. A new fire in the Laralea area is also causing “serious concern”.
Country Fire Authority (CFA) chief officer Jason Hefferman told ABC radio the Otway fires could produce ember showers “which could spark more fires ahead of the main fire”.
It’s unclear what damage the fires have caused, but Australia’s deputy incident chief Alistair Drayton said he had “anecdotal evidence” that some homes had been destroyed.
He also praised firefighters for the “excellent” work they have done so far.
In addition to Victoria, which has a total fire ban, South Australia is also on alert due to “extreme” fire risk.
Meanwhile, health officials are warning that continued high temperatures pose serious health risks.
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Caroline McElnay told reporters the elderly, children and people with underlying health conditions were most at risk.
“It can cause potentially fatal health problems such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, but it can also trigger events such as heart attack or stroke.”
