Vic: Firefighters finish on top on first day of heatwave
28 Jan 2009 10:21 PM
Eds: Adds details of another fire in ninth par
MELBOURNE, Jan 28 AAP - Victoria's firefighters have emerged mostly triumphant from day one of what's shaping as the hottest week in a century.
But they were in no mood to celebrate, with forecast stronger winds on Thursday likely to cause even more hazardous conditions for 100,000 or so firefighters on standby.
A grass fire that broke out about 12.30pm (AEDT) on the Mornington Peninsula burnt out of control, threatening homes and forcing the closure of a freeway at McCrae.
But by mid-afternoon, firefighters had brought the blaze under control, saving all property from damage, Country Fire Authority (CFA) state duty officer Alan Ellis told AAP.
"It was relatively small, burning four hectares, but of most concern was that it posed a risk to private assets and was in a highly populated area," he said.
"It started on the side of the southbound lane of the Mornington Peninsula Freeway.
"We have isolated the location of origin but the cause is being investigated."
Firefighters remained at the scene on Wednesday night to mop up and prevent any "underground burning", Mr Ellis said.
Fire crews were also close to containing a 30-hectare fire burning in bush on private land at Delburn, south of Morwell in the Latrobe Valley.
Six more outbreaks also kept firefighters busy - among more than 70 mostly minor incidents - as the temperature hit 40 degrees or higher around most of the state.
A fire that destroyed 20ha of farmland, a shed and hay bales near Winchelsea, in the state's south-west, was contained with the use of water-bombing helicopters.
"We also had a lot of false alarms with the hot weather tripping heat-detecting home smoke alarms," Mr Ellis said.
Strong hot, dry winds are expected to hit Victoria on Thursday and the Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting maximums of 43 degrees celsius on Thursday and Friday in Melbourne.
Victoria's weather will remain hot for another week, the bureau predicts, with temperatures mostly above 30.
"Certainly tomorrow will bring a front and freshening winds that will push up against the high and absolutely make things difficult with the extremely high temperatures," Mr Ellis said.
"We are expecting 35-40km/h winds at Ballarat and near Melbourne, which is up quite a bit on today."
The front could bring a dry thunderstorm, with lightning strikes and high winds.
Authorities have urged Victorians to exercise caution during the week, fearing heat-related deaths and a repeat of the devastating 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires.
Emergency Services Commissioner Bruce Esplin encouraged people to prepare their bushfire plans, and said residents on Melbourne's fringe had to wake up to the dangers of urban bushfires.
