Fire services have warned that dozens of bushfires burning on Australia’s east coast could worsen as a severe heat wave continues.
After two years of rain and flooding, a return to warmer conditions has fueled the state of New South Wales’ worst fires since the 2019/2020 “Black Summer”.
A blaze 250 kilometers (155 miles) northwest of Sydney triggered the region’s first emergency fire warning in two years.
Firefighters reported battling flames 10-15m (49ft) high.
Residents in affected areas of New South Wales – Australia’s most populous state – have been urged to evacuate, and some property damage has been reported.
Temperatures reached 40C (104F) in parts of the state on Monday, the first time since January 2021.
Fire officials said 33 fires were still burning across the state on Tuesday, 10 of which could not be contained.
The NSW Rural Fire Service said strong winds caused the fire to spread quickly.
“It’s going to be another tough day for firefighters and possibly into tomorrow before we get some respite,” RFS Commissioner Rob Rogers told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has also warned that there is a chance of dry thunderstorms in eastern NSW, which could spark new fires.
RFS inspector Ben Shepherd told JEE News several other fires in western NSW were “potentially a concern”.
Hot and dry conditions are expected to continue through Wednesday.
Eastern Australia has experienced La Niña conditions for three summers in a row, with above-average rainfall leading to widespread flooding.
In 2022, Sydney recorded its wettest year since records began.
But last week, Baum said his model suggested La Nina was “likely nearing its end,” a return to neutral conditions or even a warm and dry El Niño phenomenon, possibly in the Southern Hemisphere. In the fall of
At least 33 people and an estimated 3 billion animals and birds died in the 2019–20 Black Summer fires, one of Australia’s worst natural disasters ever.
