#VIC #SA #Bushfire #News #CTCorp Tough conditions expected for firefighters battling blazes in South Australia, Victoria Extreme temperatures and strong winds are expected to create tough conditions for firefighters battling blazes in Victoria and South Australia today. A bushfire in the Adelaide Hills burning at Humbug Scrub near Kersbrook, north-east of Adelaide on Friday, with crews working through the night to contain the fire. One house was destroyed in a that sparked an emergency warning lasting several hours on Friday. The Bureau of Meterology (BoM) has predicted temperatures of more than 40 degrees Celsius across Victoria and temperatures in the high 30s for South Australia. Strong swirling winds in the Adelaide Hills were causing problems for firefighters on Friday, the Country Fire Service (CFS) said, at speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour. Brenton Eden from the CFS said the wind in the Sampson Flat fire area was expected to have completed a full 360-degree change by early morning. That poses serious challenges for everyone on the ground, we need to cover the entire perimeter of it [the fire] ... people need to be aware of unpredictable fire travel, he said. CFS assistant chief officer Rob Sandford said possible lightning forecast for today would make the job more difficult for fire crews. Conditions [on Saturday] could see that we have fires that again may threaten communities across the state, he said. Mr Eden said an incinerator was the likely cause of the fire, which has also destroyed a firefighting appliance, but no-one was hurt. He said 150 firefighters, 25 appliances and five water carriers were at the scene overnight and communities around the fire including Kersbrook, Humbug Scrub, Birdwood and Gumeracha were instructed to remain very, very vigilant. Roads around Kersbrook were blocked off around the fire, while some not far from the area fled their homes because of embers. A second out-of-control fire in Tantanoola in South Australias lower south-east burnt slowed with the help of water bombers, some called in from Victoria and New South Wales. Strong wind gusts, extreme temperatures expected in Vic In Victoria, Emergency Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said it was extremely lucky that the fire went around the town of Moyston, near Ararat in the states west. Firefighters have done a great job on the ground. In excess of 38C, 41C and out there doing it in windy conditions, he said. We also had significant aircraft over the fire, and it still ran hard, which is exactly what we thought it would do. The Country Fire Authority (CFA) said the blaze had slowed but conditions were still extremely dangerous. A severe weather warning has been issued with wind gusts of up to 90 kilometres an hour expected to affect the South West, Central and West and South Gippsland forecast districts. The BoMs Tony Leggett said the wind would be a major factor, combined with the extreme temperatures. He also said there would not be much rain in the expected cool change late on Saturday. [The change is] a series of wind shifts which will keep winds in the 80 to 90, up to100kph range throughout the afternoon on Saturday, which is very bad for fire spread, he said. Those conditions will extend into Victoria in the morning. So its looking like a very grim 24 hours that were facing. Total fire bans were declared for eight of nine districts in Victoria last week, excluding East Gippsland, and on Saturday the entire state will be under a total fire ban. Source: ABC / Weatherzone Saturday January 3, 2015 - 01:12 EDT © ABC 2015 To ensure you are viewing the latest information please visit: weatherzone.au/news/tough-conditions-expected-for-firefighters-battling-blazes-in-south-australia-victoria/215922
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 02:10:47 +0000
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