Australia braces for extreme heat as temperatures near 50C
Australia is set to endure another intense heatwave this weekend, with temperatures forecast to approach 50 degrees Celsius in parts of the country.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued heatwave warnings for large areas of Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory, News.Az reports, citing Australian media.
Victoria is also expected to swelter, with temperatures forecast to reach 43C in Mildura and 40C in Melbourne on Saturday.
In Melbourne’s outer suburbs, temperatures are expected to climb even higher, with the town of Ouyen tipped to reach 48C.
Meteorologist Christie Johnson warned that the extreme conditions are set to persist, saying the “heat isn’t going anywhere.”
Fire danger ratings across most of Victoria are expected to range from high to extreme over the long weekend, raising concerns that three out-of-control bushfires in Longwood, Walwa and Wonnangatta could spread again.
Authorities have declared a total fire ban across the entire state as emergency services remain on high alert.
The state’s bushfires have been burning for weeks, claiming 434 homes and 1054 outbuildings, with more than 34,000 livestock killed.
The nationwide heatwave has prompted the Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC) to issue health advice on keeping cool, warning that those most at risk are babies, children and older people.
By Nijat Babayev
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