By Renju Jose
SYDNEY, Jan 27 (Reuters) – A major heatwave across Australia’s southeast raised bushfire threats, with Melbourne forecast to record its hottest day in nearly 17 years on Tuesday, and hundreds of residents in rural towns were ordered to immediately evacuate their homes.
Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology said the temperature in Melbourne could hit 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) with severe to extreme heatwave conditions expected to peak on Tuesday and Wednesday, before gradually easing later in the week.
The heatwave has raised the fire danger across Victoria, Australia’s second-most populous state, where a fast-moving bushfire in the Otways region has burned about 10,000 hectares (24,000 acres).
Officials warned that strong winds forecast for later in the day could further spread the blaze, threatening homes.
“It’s the change that’s going to come through about 5 p.m. (0600 GMT) with some really punchy winds that is likely to do most of the damage and drive that fire further,” Country Fire Authority Chief Officer Jason Heffernan told ABC News.
Emergency services have doorknocked about 1,100 homes and sent text messages to around 10,000 phones urging residents to leave the region, Heffernan said.
Total fire bans were declared across Victoria, as officials tried to lower the risk of new fires.
Organisers of the Australian Open tennis Grand Slam in Melbourne said matches on the outside courts and roof closures would follow its extreme heat condition protocols. Wheelchair matches have been postponed to Wednesday.
In inland towns, the temperature is expected to reach the high-40s. The town of Ouyen, with a population of just over 1,000 and 440 km (273 miles) northwest of Melbourne, is likely to touch 49 degrees Celsius (120.2 Fahrenheit), the weather bureau said.
Local butcher Nathan Grayling told ABC Radio that he would try to keep his business as dark and cool as possible, with most residents expected to stay indoors.
“If we get everything done, we might knock off early and go down the local pub for a beer,” Grayling said.
(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Michael Perry)
