Killer heat brings in bushfire warnings

THE southern states are set to swelter this weekend with Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania all issuing heat event and bushfire warnings.

Ambulance Victoria’s state health commander Paul Holman said Melbourne was set to swelter through its hottest day in two years today with temperatures forecast to reach 41C.

“This heat is a killer. It’s going to be like a blast furnace and you need to adjust what you do,” he said.

“You need to take this seriously. You need to take care. So put off the sporting events, put off the outside events, stay inside.”

A statewide fire ban has also been issued for today.

“If a fire starts it will run, it will run hard and has the potential to do significant damage,” Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley said.

Catastrophic bushfire conditions have also been declared for three South Australian districts and fire bans are in place across the state.

Emergency Services Minister Chris Picton said conditions today would be among the worst since the 2015 Pinery fire, north of Adelaide, which claimed two lives.

The Country Fire Service will be on its highest level of alert, the state emergency centre will be activated and additional water bombing aircraft will be brought in from NSW and Victoria.

Catastrophic conditions have been declared for the Mt Lofty Ranges and in the upper and lower southeast.

The state’s 12 other districts are either severe or extreme. Adelaide will have a top temperature of 41C while the mercury is forecast to reach the mid- 40s in some regional and outback towns.

Tasmanian authorities are also bracing for severe bushfire conditions. A total fire ban will be in place for King Island and northern and southern Tasmania for all of today.

More than 200 fire brigades are on standby across the state.