South Australia Braces for Catastrophic Fire Weather as Extreme Heat and Dry Lightning Pose Significant Risks

Forecasters are warning of a trifecta of dangerous weather conditions that will make Friday “one of the most significant fire weather days in several years” in South Australia. The Country Fire Service has issued extreme to catastrophic fire danger alerts for parts of the state, with temperatures expected to soar into the mid-40s and strong winds and dry lightning adding to the fire risk.

Adelaide was already feeling the heat on Friday morning, with temperatures reaching 29.6C before 7am. However, it’s not just Adelaide that’s feeling the warmth – temperatures across the state are expected to reach the mid-40s, making it a challenging day for firefighters.

The CFS has declared catastrophic fire danger ratings for several districts, including the mid-north, Flinders, Yorke Peninsula, Riverland, and eastern Eyre Peninsula. Extreme fire danger ratings have been issued for other areas, including the Mount Lofty Ranges, north-east Pastoral, west coast, upper south-east, and Murraylands.

Any fires that do start will be “incredibly difficult” for firefighters to control, according to CFS chief officer Brett Loughlin. The dry lightning creates a real risk of fire starting anywhere these thunderstorms occur, and unfortunately the forecast is for a broad area of dry lightning and thunderstorm activity.

The service has secured a large air tanker from the commonwealth to help with firefighting operations, but Loughlin stressed that conditions could hamper its use. “I want to stress the forecast winds tomorrow are such that there is likely to be times when an aircraft will be unable to safely fly and fight fires,” he said. “It is crucial that people do not rely on firefighters and aviation assets to save them.”

Residents are being urged to have a bushfire survival plan in place and to understand what they would do in the event of an emergency. Additionally, electricity outages are also possible as equipment is set to disconnect to minimize the risk of sparking a blaze. These outages may also be extended in regional and remote areas if crews are stretched by managing safety in severe conditions and responding to the trifecta of weather conditions.

Meanwhile, residents in New South Wales are entering their third day of above-average temperatures, with the heatwave not expected to ease until next week. A total fire ban is in place for several areas west of the Divide, ahead of even warmer conditions on Saturday when Sydney’s west could hit 44C.

In other parts of the country, temperatures continued to soar, with parts of Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and the Australian Capital Territory experiencing scorching conditions. High temperatures sparked a warning to employers to protect their workers and develop a workplace heat-management plan to ensure safety.

“We don’t want to see anyone needing medical attention due to heat exposure,” said SafeWork NSW head Trent Curtin. “Workers are reminded to listen to their body when the temperature rises and to drink plenty of water. It is vital you do not replace water with soft drinks, energy drinks or coffee as these can dehydrate you further.”