Australia Braces for Potentially Catastrophic Bushfire Conditions This Christmas
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Washington, Dec 23 (NationPress) Millions of residents and visitors in southeast Australia have been cautioned to prepare for severe bushfire conditions throughout the Christmas season.
Authorities issued a total fire ban for Greater Sydney and northern parts of New South Wales (NSW) on Monday due to the looming threat of high temperatures and strong winds, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
This warning precedes a forecasted period of extreme danger across Australia's southeastern regions.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) anticipates that temperatures in Sydney, Melbourne in the southeastern state of Victoria, and Adelaide in South Australia will surpass 35 degrees Celsius on both Wednesday and Saturday.
In Victoria and South Australia, officials have cautioned that conditions on Thursday will present a catastrophic bushfire threat, with intense winds expected to complicate fire containment efforts.
Currently, numerous bushfires are ablaze across the three states, which encompass 62 percent of Australia's population, including a fire in the Grampians National Park in western Victoria that has prompted evacuation alerts for several towns.
As of Monday, this fire has scorched 41,000 hectares of land within a week since being sparked by lightning.
Emergency warnings for local communities surrounding the national park were downgraded on Monday thanks to favorable weather conditions and light rain; however, authorities have indicated that circumstances could shift rapidly.
State Response Controller Garry Cook reported on Monday that firefighters are executing controlled backburning operations ahead of Boxing Day to safeguard nearby towns and mitigate fuel loads in the region.
Firefighting teams from across Australia's east coast have been mobilized to support local crews.
Travelers in Victoria during the Christmas period are urged to stay informed about local emergency advisories and monitor the evolving conditions.
