HELLISH TIMES

We've had three consecutive days in Victoria where temperatures have stayed up in the low 40s (˚C). The extreme heat, strong winds and tinder dry grasslands and Eucalypt forests have created a catastrophic set of circumstances for bushfires to start. Climate change and unpredictable weather events are making each year worse in Australia as fires, floods, droughts, cyclones and storms wreak havoc.

Presently, hundreds of firefighters are flat out out trying to contain many large out-of-control fires as night falls on Victoria, the most concerning fire is the enormous Longwood fire, which has been threatening several townships as it spreads through central Victoria. Firefighters and emergency services are concerned as a change in wind direction expected this Friday evening could hamper their efforts, as it pushes the blazes into new directions.

Three people, including a child, remain unaccounted-for after a house burned down in Longwood. The Country Fire Authority says cooler, calmer conditions might allow firefighters to assess the impact of multiple blazes in the coming days.

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme