Melbourne’s weather has been a roller coaster lately. It was expected to cool down to the low to mid-30s on Thursday. However, temperatures are set to shoot up again on Friday before a significant cool change arrives.
In Sydney, a sea breeze will help keep eastern areas cooler, holding temperatures in the low 30s most of the week. But this won’t last; temperatures could spike to 39 degrees in the city on Saturday. Western suburbs near Olympic Park are on track to see sweltering conditions. For instance, Penrith is projected to reach 37 degrees on Wednesday, then 41 on both Thursday and Friday, and a sweltering 44 degrees on Saturday, with little relief at night.
These high temperatures are raising alarm about fire danger. Southern South Australia is facing extreme fire risks, while much of southeastern Australia is under high fire warnings on Wednesday and Friday. Strong winds could exacerbate the situation, creating widespread fire hazards in South Australia and western Victoria on Friday, and then spreading to eastern Victoria and southeastern NSW on Saturday.
January 6 marks a poignant anniversary—the devastating Los Angeles fires of last year. A recent report from the Climate Council warns that Australia could experience similar urban fires. Climate change is intensifying fire conditions across the continent. As populations continue to grow in outer-suburban areas, the risk to residential neighborhoods also increases. For example, more than 2 million people now live on Melbourne’s urban fringe, a remarkable 111% increase since 2001. In Perth, the number has doubled, while Sydney has seen a 24% rise in its urban fringe population over the last 23 years.
Andrew Gissing, the CEO of Natural Hazards Research Australia, highlights another concern: less than half of Australians have emergency plans or kits ready for bushfires and heatwaves. He pointed to three key reasons for the increasing bushfire risk. First, climate change is leading to more frequent severe fire weather and extending fire seasons. Second, urban sprawl means more people live in at-risk zones. Lastly, environmental degradation is heightening the natural hazard risk.
Looking ahead, official figures estimate that Australia’s average annual temperature will reach 21.8 degrees by 2025, which is significantly above historical baselines. Interestingly, 2019 was recorded as the hottest year yet, with temperatures 1.51 degrees above the long-term average. In fact, 2024 is projected to be the second hottest, at 1.45 degrees above average, according to the EU’s Copernicus agency. It seems the global trend remains the same, as 2025 is on track to be one of the hottest years to date.
This ongoing pattern underscores the urgent need for awareness and preparedness in communities at risk. Understanding these shifts not only informs how we respond but also how we live and build our neighborhoods in a climate-changing world.
