A statewide Total Fire Ban has been declared for Victoria tomorrow, Friday 9 January, with Catastrophic Fire Danger Ratings forecast for the South West, Wimmera, Northern Country and North Central and Extreme Fire Danger in all other areas.
According to the CFA, tomorrow’s conditions across Victoria will be the most dangerous experienced this summer, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees in many parts of the state and strong gusty winds of 30 to 50km/h expected, on top of two days of extreme heat.
Catastrophic and Extreme conditions make it difficult for firefighters to control fires and with severe thunderstorms and potential for dry lightning forecast, challenges will arise.
A Total Fire Ban means no fire can be lit in the open air or allowed to remain alight from 12.01am to 11.59pm on the day of the Total Fire Ban.
Victorians can find out if they are in an area where a Total Fire Ban is in force by visiting the CFA website cfa.vic.gov.au, where it is usually published by 5pm the day before a Total Fire Ban.
For more information on what you can and can’t do visit the Can I or Can’t I page on the CFA website.
Victorians should also make sure they have access to more than one source of information.
They include:
ABC local radio, commercial and designated radio stations of Sky News
The VicEmergency App
The VicEmergency website www.emergency.vic.gov.au
The VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226
CFA or VicEmergency Twitter or Facebook
