Rising temperatures and forecasts of damaging wind gusts have prompted authorities in New South Wales to raise bushfire warnings to their highest level in more than two years.
More than 20 public schools in central NSW were forced to close on Wednesday after the state’s Rural Fire Service issued a warning of catastrophic fire danger.
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The lower central western plains – including the regional centers of Dubbo, Parkes and Forbes – were prepared for the highest level of bushfire conditions, meaning people there should consider leaving fire risk areas and staying away from paddocks and bushland.
No catastrophic fire risk is forecast for any region of NSW after September 2023.
Extreme danger warnings and full fire restrictions were also declared for millions of residents, including metropolitan Sydney, as winds of more than 90 km/h were expected across southern NSW and Victoria on Wednesday.
“(The winds) are combining with warm-to-hot temperatures and really dry air and that’s increasing the fire danger across the region,” said Sarah Scully of the Bureau of Meteorology.
Temperatures were forecast to reach 37C in Dubbo on Wednesday, after a high of 38C on Tuesday.
Complete fire bans were imposed in 10 other regions of NSW, including Greater Sydney, the Illawarra and the Hunter.
Fire danger was also forecast to increase in Queensland’s southern interior.
The warning of increased wildfire danger comes as the country is still grappling with the deadly start of the wildfire season.
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Country Fire Service member and firefighter Peter Curtis, 30, died while battling a bushfire on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula on Sunday.
Another bushfire has burned in north-east Tasmania since Saturday, with authorities advising people to keep an eye on conditions in the Curries River Reservoir area.
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