Australia swelters through heatwave as bush fire risk grows

SYDNEY – Australia’s south-east on Dec 9 sweated through a heatwave that

raised the risk of bush fires

and led to a ban on fires in large parts of New South Wales state.

The nation’s weather forecaster predicted a maximum temperature in Sydney on Dec 9 of 40 deg C, almost 15 deg C above the average December high for the city.

At Observatory Hill in the centre of Sydney, the capital of Australia’s most populous state New South Wales, the temperature was 38.9 deg C at 1pm local time on Dec 9.

Speaking in Sydney, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was “a time to ensure that we look after each other and stay safe”.

“Today in Sydney, and in other parts of the east coast, it’s a reminder that there just might be something in this climate-change stuff,” Mr Albanese said, according to an official transcript.

The heat heightens the risk of bush fires in an already high-risk fire season during Australia’s December-to-February summer because of an El Nino weather event, typically associated with extremes such as wildfires, cyclones and droughts.

The New South Wales fire authorities said on social media platform X that a fire ban was in place for large swathes of the state, including Sydney, given “very hot, dry and windy conditions” brought by warm, north-westerly winds.

There were 71 grass fires and bush fires – 21 of them uncontained – burning across New South Wales on Dec 9, the state’s Rural Fire Service said.

The authorities are concerned about a return of dangerous fire conditions this summer after Australia’s last two fire seasons were quiet compared with the 2019 to 2020 “Black Summer” that destroyed an area the size of Turkey and killed 33 people.

In a warning on Dec 8, the forecaster said “severe heatwave conditions” would continue in much of New South Wales into next week, with peak temperatures predicted for the weekend.

At Sydney’s Coogee Beach, head lifeguard Clive Stiff said the extreme heat meant a busy Saturday for those on patrol.

“We’re mostly worried about sun safety and hydration, both for members of the public and members of the patrol, of course,” he said.

Beachgoer Carley Carr took a more relaxed view of the heat.

“It’s about time that we had a good summer. So we’ll be down at the beach probably early and staying inside for the middle of the day,” she said. REUTERS