Extreme heat and fire danger
A complete fire ban covers greater Sydney, where the mercury is expected to climb to 37C in the western suburbs. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, hot and dry weather, combined with possible thunderstorms and scant rain, has put Sydney under extreme fire danger. The bureau noted Monday's temperatures would sit far above the seasonal norm, with Mount Druitt among the spots forecast to reach 37C around 2pm. From north of Newcastle through to Wollongong, readings were expected to stay between 34C and 36C until a later-afternoon shift arrived with potentially damaging winds.[S1][S2][S3][S4]
Angus Hines, a senior meteorologist at the BoM, described it as unquestionably among the hottest days seen in several months. Should Monday's top temperature be recorded, he said, it would sit 10 or 11 degrees above what is typical for Sydney in October. Reaching 37C would make it the city's warmest day since February.[S1]
Fire ban restrictions and warnings
According to the NSW Rural Fire Service, the total fire ban covered both the greater Sydney and greater Hunter areas. Open fires, solid fuel barbecues, and tasks like grinding and welding were all off limits. NSW RFS commissioner Trent Curtin told ABC radio that fire danger would be extremely high that day, so people needed to stay cautious throughout and avoid anything involving open flames. He further cautioned that severe thunderstorms were forecast for much of NSW, and with little rain expected, dry lightning igniting fires in the west and central parts of the state would pose a serious threat.[S1]
Curtin noted that the RFS had achieved solid progress on hazard reduction burning this year thanks to helpful conditions. He explained that they had managed to carry out far more than in previous years, since circumstances were somewhat more favourable and they had seized every chance available.[S1]
New alert system and climate context
Federal emergency management minister Kristy McBain on Monday promoted the rollout of the AusAlert system. Under it, compatible phones emit an alarm and get a text message when an emergency is nearby. So far, only Victoria and Western Australia have joined the system. McBain told ABC TV that this would deliver significantly improved protection for communities facing disasters, and that a near real-time alert not dependent on any single telco provider represents a genuine breakthrough for emergency management.[S1]
Monday's severe heat followed Australia's second-warmest September on record, fuelled by a strengthening El Niño. The bureau reported that average temperatures placed in the top five Septembers for every state. Climate scientist Dr Linden Ashcroft said earlier this month that climate change is the sole clear cause. Hines said El Niño was expected to substantially raise both maximum and minimum temperatures over the coming months, with many hot days ahead. He noted that plenty of summer still remains.[S1]
