Updated Dec 24, 2024 - Energy & Climate

Australia faces increased fire risk as bushfires threaten towns in Victoria

Rebecca Falconer

A general view as smoke from bushfires is seen in the sky during the WNCL match between Victoria and South Australia at CitiPower Centre, on December 20, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. — Smoke from bushfires fills the sky during a Women's National Cricket League match between Victoria and South Australia in Melbourne, Australia, on Dec. 20. Photo: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Authorities in Australia have issued bushfire warnings and total fire bans in multiple states as extreme heat intensifies across the country over the holiday period.

The big picture: Total fire bans have been issued for parts of South Australia, Western Australia and the entire state of Victoria, where residents evacuated from a growing bushfire in the Grampians region this week. Victorian officials warn they're facing the biggest threat since the deadly Black Summer bushfire season of 2019-20.

Zoom in: The extreme weather was threatening those states on Christmas Day, but Australian Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Dean Narramore said in a video update that Thursday was the biggest concern as "hot, dry, windy conditions" move into southeastern parts of the country.

This would include metropolitan Melbourne, Australia's second-most populous city.
"The conditions will be ripe for the fires to become uncontrollable and uncontainable," Narramore said. "Particularly with fires already ongoing around the Grampians and central parts of Victoria."
Temperatures exceeding 104°F were expected throughout Victoria and conditions were expected to worsen in New South Wales as the extreme weather moves east Friday and Saturday.

Threat level: Communities facing the greatest immediate threat from fires on Wednesday were in Victoria's Mount Lofty Ranges and the Grampians. More residents prepared to join the small town of Halls Gap in evacuating as a bushfire swelled to 106,000 acres in an area known for its sandstone mountains, wildflowers and wildlife, including wallabies.

Between the lines: Climate change is increasing the likelihood and severity of wildfires in Australia and other parts of the world, research shows.

"There have been significant changes observed in recent decades towards more dangerous bushfire weather conditions for various regions of Australia," per a post by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.
It notes observed changes in southern and eastern Australia include more extreme conditions during summer and "an earlier start to the bushfire season, with dangerous weather conditions significantly earlier in spring than before."
The trends toward more dangerous bushfire conditions "can be attributed to human-caused climate change," according to the bureau. "This includes through increased temperatures and more frequent dry conditions."

Go deeper: How climate change helped drive Australia's fires

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more context.

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Australia faces increased fire risk as bushfires threaten towns in Victoria

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