The NSW Rural Fire Service has warned the entire boundary of Sydney is at extreme risk of fire, amid fears today’s soaring temperatures could exacerbate bushfires which are yet to be controlled.
The Bureau of Meteorology predicts Sydney CBD will swelter through 41 degree temperatures today, while western suburbs like Penrith will see the mercury rise as high as 45 degrees.
[jwplayer mvLiV8oA]
Speaking to the ABC, RFS spokesperson Angela Burford said a slew of uncontrolled fires, including the Gospers Mountain mega-fire some 115km northwest of Sydney, could “flare up and run” towards more densely populated areas.
“These are the areas that will be of concern to us, which largely means the entire perimeter of Sydney,” Burford said.
The RFS states the entire Greater Sydney region, along with Illawarra / Shoalhaven and the Southern Ranges, will face extreme fire risks.
Dangerous fire conditions forecast today due to high temperatures, strong winds and low humidity. A Total Fire Ban remains in place across NSW, with Extreme fire danger for the Greater Sydney, Illawarra/Shoalhaven and Southern Ranges areas. How fire proof is your plan? #NSWRFS pic.twitter.com/U7zFNj3Vbu
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) December 18, 2019
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian this morning declared a state of emergency in response to the threat, saying “the biggest concern for us over the next few days is the unpredictability.”
That state of emergency will span the next seven days.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is addressing the media and is expected to make an announcement about bushfires https://t.co/sZ6tC64yAH
— The Sydney Morning Herald (@smh) December 18, 2019
Fires and intense heat are not the only challenges Sydney will face today. Smoke from nearby fires, including the Gospers Mountain blaze, will once again blanket the city and reduce air quality.
That smoke, of course, is carried by wind. Those gusts are predicted to top 100km/h today in some regions, making everything much worse in the process.
Those horrific conditions will arrive one day after Australia as a whole experienced its hottest day in recorded history – and that’s a record likely to be broken before the year is through.
Despite all that, a cool change is expected some time in the afternoon. How lovely.
As always: stay safe, drink heaps of water, and chuck your bushfire action plan into place if things get dicey.
