DoomsdaysCWAustralian state orders 30,000 people to evacuate due to ‘catastrophic’ fire risk
By Kathleen Magramo and Morayo Ogunbayo, CNN
Published Feb 28, 2024
"Firefighters in Australia are battling a huge blaze that has forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people amid some of the worst fire conditions the country has seen in recent years.
"Hot, dry and windy conditions have created “extreme to catastrophic fire dangers” in parts of Victoria and #SouthAustralia, according to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology.
"#SevereThunderstorms are also forecast in the region, which bring the threat of #DryLightning – strikes that occur during a storm where the rain evaporates before hitting the ground.
"Around 30,000 people had been ordered to evacuate parts of #VictoriaAustralia before midday Wednesday, when authorities warned it would be too late to leave.
"Temperatures are rapidly rising to the 40°C range (104°F), with wind gusts reaching 60 to 70 kilometers per hour (37 to 43 mph), according to an update from Jason Heffernan, chief officer at #Victoria’s Country Fire Authority (CFA), the state’s volunteer fire service.
“Extreme fire dangers are coming to fruition, and in fact we’re currently seeing catastrophic conditions in #Casterdon, Hamilton and #Kanagulk in the #Wimmera weather district,” he said.
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"Experts have warned that #Australia could see another catastrophic fire season this year as the impacts of El Niño event — a natural climate fluctuation which can bring hot and dry conditions to parts of the country — with the underlying trend of human-caused #GlobalWarming.
As the world continues to heat up, increasing the likelihood of the '#FireWeather' that fuels faster and more intense blazes, scientists say the risk of extreme #bushfire seasons will increase."