The Victorian community cannot be complacent today, 29 March, with a very warm, windy day forecast with elevated fire danger and possibly lightning.
Across Victoria, there is very mixed and unsettled weather forecast with storms, lightning, hail, damaging winds and elevated fire danger in some areas.
Fire Danger Ratings will be Severe for the Mallee and Northern Country and Very High for Wimmera, South West, North Central, Central, West and South Gippsland, High in the North East and Low-Moderate in East Gippsland.
There is a Total Fire Ban in the Mallee and Northern Country which means no fires can be lit in the open air, including campfires and burn offs until midnight.
Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said warm and gusty winds of up to 70km/h were forecast ahead of a late change expected to move across Victoria from the west.
“Landowners and farmers need to take extra care today and tomorrow and ensure that any burns they’ve had over the last week are fully extinguished,” he said.
“The landscape is extremely dry and we’re expecting very unconventional weather.
“As we saw last year in the south west of Victoria, there can still be significant fire risk into March. We only have to look at the start of March this year to see this play out again in the north east and south east of the state.
“It’s important that all Victorians stay mindful of the conditions and stay connected to emergency information.”
The strong and gusty winds are expected to move through Victoria, ahead of an afternoon change. Winds averaging 40-50km/h with gusts of up to 70km/h are expected and storms are most likely in the east, with the potential for hail and damaging winds.
Victorians can get emergency information from a number of sources including the VicEmergency app, emergency.vic.gov.au, tuning in to ABC radio or other emergency broadcasters including commercial and community radio stations or Sky TV, or by phoning the VicEmergency hotline on 1800 226 226 and following VicEmergency on Facebook and Twitter.
The department acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.