Heatwave looms as fires burn nation's east and west

Canberra (Australia), December 21: Out-of-control bushfires are raging in different corners of the nation, confirming grim forecasts of a difficult emergency season ahead.
Firefighters have worked overnight to try to contain a blaze in Victoria's Grampians National Park that had razed 17,000 hectares by Friday evening, and which emergency services say won't be contained for weeks.
The nearby town of Pomonal, which was devastated by fires earlier this year, is again under threat as the blaze grows.
Emergency warnings were also in place for residents in The Gurdies as another fire northwest of Melbourne in the Macedon region gathers pace.
Firefighters in Western Australia and NSW have brought scores of fires under control in recent days, but temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s are expected to hit the west coast over the weekend before pushing eastward.
"The heat really building, though in WA, a very hot day on the way across much of our West Coast," bureau meteorologist Dean Narramore said.
Above-average temperatures are predicted for the 2024-25 summer in many parts of the nation, according to long-range forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology, underscoring a grim outlook from emergency services.
With hot temperatures expected to persist into Christmas, Victoria's Country Fire Authority has urged people to plan ahead.
"We know people have a lot to think about this festive season but taking a few minutes to plan and prepare could save the lives of you and those you love," chief fire officer Jason Heffernan said.
"On hot, dry and windy days, have a back-up location to visit that is not in a high-risk bushfire area."
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation