With temperatures soaring to record-challenging levels in many parts of the country, grey nomads are being warned to be aware of both the risk of bushfires and of simply collapsing in the heat.
There has already been a spate of devastating bushfires across the south, with blazes causing massive damage near Perth and threatening properties on the outskirts of other capital cities, including Melbourne and Adelaide.
And there looks to be no immediate let-up in the blistering heatwave.
In South Australia, Adelaide is expected to endure five consecutive days above 40C before a cool change sends the temperatures plunging on the weekend.
In Victoria, the mercury yesterday hit 46C in the towns of Charlton and Longerenong, and temperatures raced past 40C in all of the Bureau of Meteorology’s forecast districts in the state. Melbourne, which reached 42.8, is now set to sweat through four days in a row above 40.
While most of New South Wales has so far escaped the worst of the heat, Swan Hill and Mildura both hit 45.2C, while Deniliquin reached 44.3C.
The Australian newspaper reports that the bitumen melted in parts of Tasmania as temperatures surged about 18 degrees above the average across the state. The mercury hit 40C in Melton Mowbray and Bushy Park, while Strahan reached its second equal highest temperature of 38.
It has all meant it’s been a busy time for paramedics, as well as firefighters, with numerous cases of heat exhaustion or heat stroke across the southern states.
Authorities are warning the extreme temperatures could cause sickness and even death among the very young and elderly, and people are being told to stay hydrated and as cool as possible.
“Heat has a huge impact on the human body,” Scott Turner, from the South Australian State Emergency Service, told the ABC. “Statistically we’ve seen every year when we’ve had hot and protracted summers, the mortality rate goes up, presentations to hospital go through the roof and our ambulance services come under extraordinary demand.”
How hot is it where you are? How do you cope with the extreme temperatures? Comment below.
We had to cut short our camping trip in the Victorian Alps…told that the sensible thing to do was to go home as where we were bush camping we’d be vulnerable. So now we are sweltering by the sea on Western Port Bay! But…..safe!