2018 among hottest and driest years so far in parts of Australia

As a bushfire burned out of control south-west of Canberra and temperatures in Sydney climbed towards the high 30s, new data showed 2018 had so far been among the hottest and driest years on record for parts of Australia.

 A water bombing airplane drops fire retardant at
the Pierces Creek bushfire near Canberra on Friday. 

The months from January to October were some of the driest on record for New South Wales, Victoria and the Murray Darling basin regions, despite the recent rainfall.

The monthly drought statement from the Bureau of Meteorology (Bom) also says Australia’s maximum temperatures so far this year have been the second warmest on record – 1.41C above average.

New South Wales had its hottest January to October period on record at 2.2C above average, and Victoria equalled its 2014 record of 1.48C above average.

Read the from The Guardian by Lisa Cox - “2018 among hottest and driest years so far in parts of Australia.”

Airstrip used in firefighting threatened by proposed wind farm

A south-west Victorian airport instrumental in fighting the St Patrick's Day bushfires could be forced to close if a proposed wind farm is approved by the state planning minister.

The location of the proposed wind turbines drawn on the Cobden airport window.

The $100 million Naroghid Wind Farm project plans to build 12 wind turbines on the outskirts of Cobden, seven kilometres south-east of Camperdown.

According to those who run the airstrip, the location is a problem.

Part of the farm's proposed site borders the northern edge of the Cobden Airport, with four of the 180-metre-high towers to be built within kilometres of the start of the runway.

Read the ABC Rural News story - “Airstrip used in firefighting threatened by proposed wind farm.”