Western Australia is currently facing an unprecedented extreme heat wave, significantly increasing the threat of bushfires across the vast state. The nation's weather forecaster, the Bureau of Meteorology, issued an \"extreme heat wave warning\" on Saturday, specifically targeting the remote Pilbara and Gascoyne regions.
Temperatures in these areas are expected to soar well above 40 degrees Celsius throughout the weekend, creating hazardous conditions ideal for bushfires. In the Pilbara mining town of Paraburdoo, situated approximately 1,500 kilometers north of the state capital Perth, the forecast predicts a staggering maximum temperature of 47 degrees Celsius on Saturday. This is more than six degrees higher than the average January maximum, according to forecaster data. As of 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Paraburdoo was already experiencing temperatures of 42.7 degrees Celsius.
The extreme heat not only poses a severe risk to residents and the local community but also threatens the region's mining operations, which are vital to Western Australia's economy. The heightened bushfire risk requires urgent preparedness measures to safeguard both lives and property.
Reference(s):
Extreme heat wave in Western Australia raises bush fire risk
cgtn.com
