Australian Towns Urged to Evacuate Before Christmas as Bushfires Intensify
Communities around the Grampians in Victoria have already been evacuated following warnings from authorities that the coming days could bring fire conditions rivaling those of the catastrophic “Black Summer” of 2019-20, Australia’s most severe bushfire season on record.
Over the past week, the bushfires have scorched more than 41,000 hectares (101,000 acres) of land, though no fatalities or property losses have been reported so far. However, intense heat predicted for Boxing Day has heightened fire warnings across the country.
In Victoria, temperatures are forecast to hit 40°C (104°F), accompanied by strong, dry winds, while parts of South Australia and New South Wales are also expected to face hazardous fire conditions from Thursday into Friday.
“We’re expecting to see extreme fire danger across almost the entire state,” said Luke Hegarty, spokesman for Victoria’s State Control Centre.
“This is the most significant fire danger we’ve seen statewide since Black Summer. Thursday is a day with serious potential.”
To support exhausted emergency crews battling the fires, four interstate firefighting teams and two incident management units—comprising over 100 personnel—are set to arrive in Victoria in the coming days.
The state’s Country Fire Authority (CFA) chief officer, Jason Heffernan, allowed temporary access for families in the Grampians region on Tuesday morning, enabling residents to collect Christmas essentials and presents. He explained the decision, saying,
“If the residents of Halls Gap are relocated for Christmas, at least they’ll have what they need.”
For many, the holidays are overshadowed by unease. Mary Ann Brown, who lives near the southern edge of Grampians National Park, shared her concerns:
“We’re not out of the woods until we get a good drop of rain, and that might not happen until March or April. It’s going to be a long summer.”
Australia has faced heightened bushfire risks this summer after several quieter seasons. The 2019-20 “Black Summer” fires devastated 24 million hectares, claimed hundreds of lives, and left a lasting impact on communities nationwide.
