Hotter weather brings fire warning in Australia

[senorpepr]

The Victorian Country Fire Authority is on full alert with temperatures in the state set to soar into the high 30s today.

The weather bureau says the fire danger is high throughout central and north-western Victoria, and there is a chance of thunderstorms and lightning strikes later.

CFA operations officer John Cutting says the next four days will be the state's first real taste of prolonged hot weather this summer and people need to be extremely careful.

"It's really up to residents now to be mindful of what they do outside, particularly if they're cleaning up with things like lawn mowers and slashers," he said.

"Days like this are best to leave that sort of work until it gets a bit cooler, because we do get a number of fires starting up with slashers and people clearing land on days like today."

[tropicana]

Heatwave prompts record surge in power use
By Chee Chee Leung, Stephen Cauchi
December 18, 2003




Melbourne is on track for its hottest December on record after another day of extreme heat Wednesday that pushed power consumption across Victoria to record levels.

With air-conditioners cranked up to counter a third straight day of 30-plus heat, the state's peak power demand reached 8572 megawatts - breaking the record of 8298 set on Tuesday.

Despite the prospect of more high temperatures through to the weekend, national electricity market operator NEMMCO Wednesday assured consumers that the blackouts experienced in recent summers were unlikely to be repeated. "The amount of capacity in the system is well and truly able to cope with these kinds of extreme demands, and to allow for any unexpected failures," said NEMMCO spokesman Paul Price.

This week Melburnians have been subjected to maximum temperatures of 32 on Monday, 36 on Tuesday and 38 Wednesday. If predictions of warm weather Thursday and Friday prove correct, the city will have recorded an average maximum of about 28 for the first 19 days of the month - higher than the December record of 27 and well above the long-term average of 24. "We would only have to average around 26 for the last 12 days to break the record," said Harvey Stern, senior forecaster with the Bureau of Meteorology.

Electricity suppliers are not the only ones working a little harder in the heat. Melbourne's water retailers have also been kept busy repairing burst mains. According to City West Water and Yarra Valley Water, about 40 per cent of the bursts occur from January to March, when soil dries up, causing pipes to move and crack.

The RACV is also having one of the busiest times of the year as cars succumb to the heat. This week the RACV has averaged about 8000 calls for help a day - up about 20 per cent on the average summer's day - with about 30 per cent of calls Wednesday related to overheating.

Electrical retailers have reported a massive increase in inquiries about air-conditioners.

"When people have three hot days and two really hot uncomfortable nights then it brings instant air-conditioning sales," said Harvey Norman finance director John Skippen. "It's all based on temperature and based on discomfort."

At the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, patronage is up to three times greater on a 35-degree day, compared to a 25-degree day, and at the cinemas a few degrees variation can make all the difference. Hoyts Cinemas commercial director George Livery said if the temperature was between 25 and 30 degrees, consumers preferred to spend the time outdoors and ticket sales were low. "As soon as you get over 30, we see them coming in by the truckload."

Despite repeated warnings of the dangers of leaving children in cars on hot days, six children and a dog had been rescued from locked cars in Melbourne this week, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade said.
-justin-