Firefighters in the Australian state of Victoria are battling at least six major fires as a record-breaking heatwave hits the country's south-east.
Two fires are currently burning at emergency level according to local broadcaster ABC News. Several communities have been issued emergency warnings to either evacuate, watch and wait, or shelter in place.
Fire officials warn that the situation is changing rapidly and have asked locals to stay up to date with the latest warnings.
The Bureau of Meteorology states that parts of the state have seen all-time temperature highs, with one area reaching 48.9C, while Melbourne recorded a staggering 41C.
Chris Hardman, the chief fire officer at Forest Fire Management Victoria, told reporters that the state's heat conditions were making firefighting efforts incredibly difficult. Two significant fires in Camperdown and Otways are currently of major concern.
Country Fire Authority (CFA) chief officer Jason Heffernan warned that the Otways fire could cause ember showers, which may start additional fires in front of the main blaze. It remains unclear the extent of the damages, although Deputy Incident Controller Alistair Drayton has mentioned anecdotal evidence of homes being lost.
In addition to Victoria, South Australia is also on alert for extreme fire risk. Health officials are raising alarm regarding the prolonged heat, with vulnerable groups like the elderly and children being most at risk for heat-related health issues.
Experts have linked such extreme heat events to climate change, observing an increasing frequency of heat extremes in Australasia. Ongoing research indicates that current high temperatures are significantly influenced by human-caused climate change.
