Sydney and NSWโ Brace for Extreme Heat and Fire Danger as โฃrecords Fall
Parts of Sydney and New South โขWales are experiencing โขrecord-breaking temperatures, coupled with forecasts of damaging winds,โค prompting total fire bans and heightened alertsโค for heat-relatedโ illness.
Rural Fireโ service (RFS) Commissioner Trent Curtin โคwarned thatโฃ the risk of escalating fires would โคpeak this afternoon as heat and strongโ winds converge. “As those winds come in we’re really worried about new ignitionsโข around properties in NSWโฆ we could very โquickly see fires escalate,” โhe told ABC Sydney Afternoons.โฃ He added that while lightning is โขexpected, โit will โขlikely be accompanied by little to no rain.
Theโ RFS is preparing for what โคis expected to be an “above-average โbushfire season this year,” with โฃcrews and aircraft on standby. Totalโข fire bans are currently in affect acrossโ parts of NSW.
NSW Ambulance Chief Superintendent Steve Vaughan urged residents to be aware of theโข symptomsโ of heat stress, including thirst, tiredness, nausea, andโ vomiting. He cautioned โฃthat these symptoms โคcan progress to more severe conditions like unconsciousness, fitting, breathlessness, and chestโฃ pain, requiringโ an immediate call to triple-0.
