One person died and officials warned that more lives could be lost as major bushfires raged across southeastern Australia Friday in heatwave conditions, with residents urged to heed warnings to "leave and live".
Police said the body was found in a house at Roses Gap in the the Grampians National Park west of Melbourne, currently sweltering through a major heatwave this week.
"Sadly, we've lost one person at Roses Gap. Police located the body of a person earlier this morning... in a house," said police commissioner Ken Lay.
"The death appears to be fire related."
The Northern Grampians fire, which is burning out of control over about 21,000 hectares and has prompted more than 100 people to evacuate the area, was running so hot it was "creating its own weather", said Victoria fire chief Craig Lapsley.
The convection column -- a plume of hot gases, smoke, ash and other debris created by the fire -- was causing lightning strikes which were starting other blazes, Lapsley said.
"These fires will be very intense and erratic this afternoon," Lapsley told reporters.
"There is a fair chance of losing property and even, if people are caught in the wrong space, life could be lost."
Lapsley said Friday was just the start of "what is a significant fire period" for the state, where a devastating firestorm in 2009 killed 173 people and destroyed more than 2,000 homes.
"Today is one of those days that certainly will be marked in the history of Victoria," he said.
Those who stay 'risking their lives'
Emergency Services Minister Kim Wells said there was a total recreational fire ban across the state, where there have been an estimated 12 arson attacks in the past 24 hours, and he urged people to heed evacuation orders.
"If the fire danger rating is severe, extreme or code red you are risking your life and that of your families if you choose to stay behind. The message is very clear -- leave and live," he said.
Wells said a second major fire in the Gippsland region could reach 500,000 hectares in size and take some time to bring under control.
In the Grampians, people started evacuating the holiday town of Halls Gap on Thursday evening after seeing a "big red glow on top of the mountain," said Rohan McDonald, owner of the Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park.
"We are covered in smoke, there is a massive plume that looks like an atomic bomb has gone off over the top of the mountain," he said.
In neighbouring South Australia state there were 67 fires going, four of which were declared emergencies, and a forecast lightning storm could complicate firefighting efforts, the Country Fire Service said.
"We will get more (fire) starts, that's pretty much guaranteed," chief officer Greg Nettleton said.
A scorching heatwave that has brought successive days of temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Celsius (104 F) continued to take its toll.
In Victoria, more than 400 heat exposure cases have been reported since Tuesday and 51 heart attacks -- a significant increase on normal figures.
"For an hour there this morning we were doing one cardiac arrest every six minutes and we expect that this will continue until this weather cools down," said Ambulance Victoria operations manager Paul Holman.
Melbourne was expected to register temperatures around 44 degrees Celsius on Friday while the South Australian capital Adelaide was set for 42C, its fifth straight day over 40 degrees, before dropping considerably on Saturday. The temperature reached 44C on Thursday in Adelaide.
AFP
Fri Jan 17 2014
![Australian fires turn deadly as heatwave scorches Australian fires turn deadly as heatwave scorches](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2014-01/61389939632_295x200.jpg)
File photo showing a wildfire along the edge of the road in a suburb east of Perth on January 12, 2014. Bushfires in Australia are frequent events during the hotter months of the year. - AFP PHOTO / DFES / EVAN COLLIS
[Data & Statistik] Prestasi ringgit setakat 17 Julai 2024
Ketua Ekonomi Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid berkata tumpuan pasaran telah beralih ke arah pilihan raya presiden AS menjelang November nanti, yang menunjukkan kebimbangan terhadap Donald Trump berikutan dasar ekonominya yang akan memihak kepada pemotongan cukai dan pengenaan tarif terhadap China.
Niaga AWANI: [Hutang kerajaan persekutuan meningkat] Cabaran antara jimat atau langkah rangsangan
Perdana Menteri pada Selasa umum hutang kerajaan persekutuan meningkat kepada RM1.22 trilion berbanding RM1.17 trilion. Apakah cabaran mengurus hutang ini untuk memasihkan ia kekal di bawah had statutori? Adakah dasar fikal kita masih utuh?
![Pemuda berat 183kg kini tinggal 99kg Pemuda berat 183kg kini tinggal 99kg](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61721175184_Pemudaberatkgk.jpg)
Pemuda berat 183kg kini tinggal 99kg
Dia melalui episod kehidupan yang panjang untuk mendapatkan berat terkini.
![Minat risiko ketara, ringgit dibuka mengukuh berbanding dolar AS Minat risiko ketara, ringgit dibuka mengukuh berbanding dolar AS](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/81709006000_RINGGIT.jpg)
Minat risiko ketara, ringgit dibuka mengukuh berbanding dolar AS
Ringgit mengukuh sedikit berbanding dolar AS pada sesi awal urus niaga Rabu ketika minat terhadap risiko kembali ketara.
Jiwa SME: Sabun Pro One Active sasar perluas pasaran global
Sabun Pro One Active tidak menggunakan sebarang lemak haiwan dalam pembuatannya selain ia mesra pengguna dan alam lantaran ia bercirikan biochemical.
Niaga AWANI: Potensi sebenar AI Generatif dalam sektor kewangan
Kecerdasan Buatan Generatif (Generative AI) adalah teknologi yang semakin mendapat perhatian dalam sektor kewangan. Ia menawarkan potensi besar untuk meningkatkan produktiviti, kecekapan, dan ketepatan dalam pelbagai aspek perkhidmatan kewangan. Apakah langkah yang boleh diambil Malaysia untuk membina infrastruktur yang baik bagi menyokong penggunaan AI generatif dalam sektor kewangan?
![Bas terjunam ke dalam cerun ragut 23 nyawa di Peru Bas terjunam ke dalam cerun ragut 23 nyawa di Peru](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71721173567_tbbusplummetsoffc.jpg)
Bas terjunam ke dalam cerun ragut 23 nyawa di Peru
Kemalangan itu berlaku di lebuh raya Los Libertadores di Ayacucho di selatan-tengah Andes.
Niaga AWANI: [Transisi tenaga] Cabaran besar menanti Malaysia
Fokus perubahan tenaga yang Malaysia mahu laksanakan hadir dengan cabaran yang besar dan memerlukan bukan sahaja iltizam politik, sebaliknya sistem utuh dan kerjasama pelabagai pihak khususnya sektor korporat.
AWANI Pagi: Keselamatan kebakaran dalam pemasangan panel solar atas bumbung
[LANGSUNG] Fokus #AWANIpagi 17 Julai 2024 8.30 pagi,
Diskusi 8.30 pagi Rabu bersama PgB Muhamad Zahin Ishak, Pegawai Cawangan Perakuan Keselamatan Kebakaran, Bahagian Keselamatan Kebakaran, Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia membincangkan antaranya langkah-langkah keselamatan utama yang perlu diambil semasa pemasangan panel solar atas bumbung untuk mengurangkan risiko kebakaran.
Diskusi 8.30 pagi Rabu bersama PgB Muhamad Zahin Ishak, Pegawai Cawangan Perakuan Keselamatan Kebakaran, Bahagian Keselamatan Kebakaran, Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia membincangkan antaranya langkah-langkah keselamatan utama yang perlu diambil semasa pemasangan panel solar atas bumbung untuk mengurangkan risiko kebakaran.
![Guna AI, sunting gambar rakan wanita jadi bogel Guna AI, sunting gambar rakan wanita jadi bogel](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721173465_tblelakiditahanAI.jpg)
Guna AI, sunting gambar rakan wanita jadi bogel
Media tempatan melaporkan, sekitar 20 wanita telah diubah gambar mereka kepada foto bogel.