Heat wave leads to warnings of potentially devastating wildfires in southern Australia

NEWCASTLE, Australia — Communities and firefighters across Australia's second-most populous state were preparing Thursday for potentially devastating wild fires as a heat wave fanned by erratic winds presented the worst fire conditions in several years.

With temperatures in Victoria state reaching 37 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit) and with wind changes expected throughout the day, fire chiefs have issued stark warnings to rural communities to delay travel or leave their homes and seek safety at shelters.

Several fires are currently burning out of control across the state and Victoria deputy premier Ben Carroll said the possibility for further fires in the coming days was likely.

''Dangerous fire conditions are forming today and will go right through to Saturday,'' he said at a press conference in Melbourne. ''New fires can start anywhere and become dangerous very quickly.

The largest uncontained fire is located in the Grampians National Park and has burnt through 55,000 hectares so far, but no homes have reported to have been lost.

However, Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent said there were many residential properties on the fringes of the fire that could come under threat.

''I wouldn't be surprised at some point if we do have residential losses,'' Nugent said. ''Firefighters, I can say, are doing everything possible to protect life and protect property.''

An emergency warning was issued by fire authorities for the small town of Mafeking, 260 kilometers (160 miles) west of Melbourne, on Thursday.

Residents there were told "you are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately, as it is too late to leave.''

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported around 100 personnel from other Australian states are now in Victoria to assist local firefighters battling the blazes. Firefighters are being assisted by scores of water-bombing aircraft.

Parts of neighboring South Australia and New South Wales states are also on high alert due to the heat wave and elevated fire risks.

The hot, dry conditions are being compared to the Black Summer fires that gripped Australia's two most populous states for months in 2019-20 and burned through 104 thousand square kilometers, an area roughly the size of Ohio, and destroyed thousands of homes and killed 33 people.