Total fire ban declared for Sunday as extreme heat, strong wind tipped

High winds, extreme heat and lightning expected on Sunday have sparked a Total Fire Ban amid what has been described as a "really concerning day" for Victoria.

Firefighters battled blazes across south-east
Victoria on Saturday, including one at Grantville.CREDIT:

With emergency services already fighting fires across the state, authorities fear they may not be able to keep up if major blazes break out on Sunday.

Read the story from The Age by Nicole Precel - “Total fire ban declared for Sunday as extreme heat, strong wind tipped.”

Queensland fires could see heat, dry lightning and potential tropical cyclone add to state's problems

Authorities say Sunday will be a day of vigilance for fire-ravaged parts of Queensland, amid the threat of blazes caused by lightning and the possibility of a tropical cyclone brewing in the northern Coral Sea.

As 110 fires continue to burn around the state, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) warned it could be three or four days before relief arrives, with no significant rain on the horizon in central Queensland.

But thunderstorms without rain are a very real possibility, which could mean an increased chance of fires started by dry lightning.

Read the ABC News story - “Queensland fires could see heat, dry lightning and potential tropical cyclone add to state's problems.”

Cyclone Nora now expected to cross Queensland coast on Sunday as category three

Authorities now believe Severe Tropical Cyclone Nora will cross the far north Queensland coast some time shortly after midday (AEST) on Sunday afternoon as a category three system.

On Saturday afternoon, Tropical Cyclone Nora was moving south east at 20kph.

At an emergency briefing in Brisbane on Saturday afternoon, Bureau of Meteorology state manager Bruce Gunn said it was expected to cross the coast somewhere between Pompuraaw and the Gilbert River mouth.

"The good news, if I can make any good news out of this story, is that we're no longer expecting a category four system to affect the Gulf but it's still a very severe category three system with very destructive winds at its core," Mr Gunn said.

Read the ABC News story - “Cyclone Nora now expected to cross Queensland coast on Sunday as category three.”

Tiny home batteries propping up Victoria's coal-fired power plants

Bill Childs switched on the airconditioning inside his Williamstown house on Sunday to ward off the sticky heat, just like hundreds of thousands of other Victorians.

Bill Childs at home with his solar battery.

But unlike most of us who pay a price for keeping cool on hot days, Mr Childs made a bit of money out of the electricity retailers, as he has on most of the hottest days this summer.

Read Adam Carey’s story from the Melbourne Age - “Tiny home batteries propping up Victoria's coal-fired power plants.”

‘Killer combo' of heat and humidity lining up for Melbourne this weekend

Melbourne is set for an "insufferable" weekend, particularly on Sunday, as a combination of high temperatures and rising humidity lift heat stress to levels rarely seen in the city.

Temperatures in the sun could become particularly intense on Sunday.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, humid conditions will make the maximums for Friday though to Sunday feel considerably warmer than the temperatures suggest.

Read Peter Hannam’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “‘Killer combo' of heat and humidity lining up for Melbourne this weekend."

Solar success for school

Congupna Primary School sailed into second and third place at the Australian International Model Solar Challenge on Sunday.

Principal Adam Cleary said it was a great achievement for the Years 4, 5 and 6 students who worked hard to create the best solar-powered boats they could.

 Parent Corey Rogers, teacher Clark Pettigrew,
 parent Robert Morley, students Josh Rogers,
 Mason Papadopoulos, Danielle Jarman,
 Stephen Morley and Ryan Lee.

The school has been entering the Victorian Model Solar Challenge for a number of years and has consistently done well.

This year the school was fortunate to have two teams, Sea Shockers and Solar Smashers, make it through to the national competition in Adelaide.

Sea Shockers took second, while Solar Smashers came third.

Mr Cleary said the school was thankful to the community for their ongoing support in helping the students go to Adelaide.

‘‘For a lot of them it was the first time they left the state or boarded an aeroplane or left home,’’ he said.

Mr Cleary said taking second and third place in a national competition was a great way to finish the year.

‘‘They really have done a fantastic job this year and everyone’s been so supportive in the Goulburn Valley,’’ he said.

Congupna Primary School is thankful to the following sponsors: The Fairley Foundation, Goulburn Valley Trades and Labour, Deakin University, Scienceworks, Moretto Building, Zeerust Plumbing and Gas and Kiwanis Club of Shepparton Sunrisers.

Story by Sionnie Kelly from today’s Shepparton News - “Solar success for school.”

Victorians warned of hot spell - four consecutive days above 30 degrees

Allison Worrall - writes
about a "hot spell".

Victoria is set to swelter as a hot spell pushes temperatures above 30 degrees for four consecutive days next week, keeping fire crews around the state on high alert.

A series of low-pressure troughs travelling in a south-easterly direction is expected to draw hot air from northern parts of the country by Sunday, ahead of a warm and dry week.

Gusty winds will be monitored by fire authorities as a "very high" fire danger rating has been put in place across most of the state from Monday.

Read the Melbourne Age story by Allison Worrall - “Victoria to swelter through hot spell.”

Getting into the National Day of Action

Nickee Freeman is working diligently to ensure the Goulburn Valley is represented in Getup’s National Day of Climate Action.

The letter below outlines what Nickee has in mind for Sunday, November 17 – let’s help Nickee make this a success, alert more Goulburn Valley people to the implications and complications of climate change, secure some publicity about the dilemma and, hopefully, trigger some much need practical response from our governments, both State and Federal.

This is the letter Nickee has written and sent to the City of Greater Shepparton and the Shepparton police:

 

Several citizens of Shepparton & surrounds would like to register & organise a local rally as part of the National of Climate Action (please click here for more info https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/climate-action-now/national-day-of-climate-action/ ). 

We're still in the planning stage, which is why we're seeking guidance/advice from you as to the appropriate consultation & approvals needed to ensure a successful event. 

The basic idea at this stage is for men, women, children & dogs to gather on the Mooroopna side & walk along the pedestrian track to Shepparton & into the Queens Gardens. 

We intend to coordinate this with the Out in the Open Festival people who will be running activities in the park that day. 

This is an opportunity for local to be part of a national event & be inspired by the number of rural people who care deeply about this issue. 

I look forward to your response & hope it's something your organisations will get behind. 

Regards,

Nickee Freeman

Ph 0407 312 288

de Brito tells it like it is - 'a game changer'

Sam de Brito is both an adventurous, fascinating and thoughtful writer.



Sam de Brito.

His articles appear each Sunday in the Melbourne Age, along with his blog, “All Men are Liars”.

His latest piece: “History will be the ultimate judge of the challenge of our times- how we deal with climate change”, appears in The Age today (Sunday, May 19).

In that, de Brito writes, “What I absolutely guarantee is that every issue mentioned in this newspaper today will be forgotten by people in 3013, except one: climate change.”

Beyond being adventurous, fascinating and thoughtful, de Brito is also accurate for climate change will be, in popular lexicon, “a game changer”.