SA braces for heat with Australia Day forecast to smash records
Australia Day events on Monday have been rescheduled or cancelled, with forecast temperatures expected to smash records. Hot temperatures are expected to extend into the first week of school.
Another hot weekend is forecast for South Australia, with the SA Country Fire Services warning that hot and windy conditions across the state will mean a heightened risk of fires starting and spreading.
But with temperatures expected to hit 43 degrees on Monday, the threat of fire is high across the long weekend.
A total ‘extreme’ fire ban was declared today for Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Mount Lofty Ranges and Yorke Peninsula.
| Sponsored |
“As we have seen with recent fires across the state and country, the current dry conditions continue to increase the risk of fires and potential impacts to communities,” the CFS said.
You might like
“With hot and windy conditions forecast across the state this weekend and into early next week, there is a heightened risk of fires starting and spreading quickly.”
Possible record-breaking heat is going to bring severe and extreme heatwave conditions to parts of south-eastern Australia over the weekend.
If the temperature does hit 43 degrees on Monday, it would be the hottest Australia day on record for Adelaide.
The Australia Day Council of SA has taken this into consideration, with its evening program to now commence at 7pm instead of 5pm.
But the Australia Day Light Parade, scheduled between 6pm-7pm, will no longer be going ahead this year.
“We are disappointed, because the parade is such a vibrant expression of community spirit, but our responsibility is always to put people first,” CEO Jan Chorley said.
Stay informed, daily
“That said, a handful of the 55 community groups will be performing on the main stage from 7.30pm and we anticipate many parade participants, and their families will join us on the night, and of course we look forward to hosting the parade next year.
CEO Jan Chorley said that with a later start time, most of the evening program could continue as planned.
“Starting at 7pm allows temperatures to ease before the main public program begins,” Chorley said.
“We have also implemented additional heat mitigation measures across the site, including increased shaded areas, misting stations, and readily accessible free drinking water, to support community comfort.”
Mourning in the Morning – a First Nations-led smoking ceremony at Elder Park – starts as originally planned from 7.30am.
Meanwhile, volunteer group Bat Rescue SA has warned that the heatwave will be brutal for Adelaide’s Grey Headed Flying Foxes.
Volunteers will be out in the heat over the weekend saving as many bats as possible, but has asked the community to give areas near bat colonies a wide berth.
“They need quiet as the heat can make them extremely skittish,” the group said.
During the first heatwave of January earlier this year, Bat Rescue SA said thousands of bats died due to the extreme heat.
Back to school forecast
The heat is set to extend into the first week of school, with a high of 39 expected on Tuesday.
It will be slightly cooler on Wednesday at 32 degrees in Adelaide, while Thursday temperatures are forecast to rise to 36 degrees.
