The predicted nightmare bushfire season is already here and causing major dramas. Today’s scorching temperatures in some parts of the country is making this a very high risk period, with one blaze forcing the closure of the Hume Highway between Sydney and Canberra.
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service has issued an emergency warning for the out-of-control grass fire at Paddy’s River, near Wingello, saying it had crossed the highway and was burning in an easterly direction towards Hanging Rock.
More than 30 firefighters are battling the blaze, and waterbombing aircraft have also been brought in to try to bring it under control.
The Daily Telegraph reports that the Hume Highway is closed in both directions at Wingello with smoke from the bushfire billowing across the arterial road.
Traffic is backed up for kilometres.
The temperatures in some parts of New South Wales climbed above 40 degrees today, with Wilcannia in the state’s northwest the hottest place to be with a temperature of 40.5 degrees.
Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Andrew Haigh said this weekend’s high temperatures, winds and dry air had culminated in very dangerous fire conditions.
“Tomorrow will look cooler especially in the south and west of the state because of a cool change coming through this afternoon and this evening,” he told the Daily Telegraph. “It will create a problem for fire danger in the north east tomorrow.”
A total fire ban is in place across much of the state.
