Australia Declares ‘State of Disaster’ as Catastrophic Bushfires Raze Homes

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Thousands of firefighters are currently battling catastrophic bushfires across southeastern Australia as an extreme heatwave and volatile winds fuel the most destructive fire conditions since the 2019-2020 ‘Black Summer’. A State of Disaster has been declared for large portions of Victoria, where over 300,000 hectares of bushland have been razed and more than 130 structures, including numerous homes, have been destroyed.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the current situation as "extreme and dangerous," noting that the blazes have already cut power to roughly 38,000 properties and forced the evacuation of dozens of regional communities. One of the most significant fires, centred near Longwood, north of Melbourne, has consumed 130,000 hectares of agricultural land and vineyards, highlighting the severe economic toll of the disaster.

The crisis has extended into neighbouring New South Wales, where several blazes near the Victorian border have reached the ‘Emergency’ level, the highest possible danger rating. Record-breaking temperatures have gripped the region, with Sydney reaching 42.2°C, more than 17 degrees above the January average.

Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan confirmed that thousands of personnel are on the ground attempting to bring the 10 major statewide fires under control, though extreme heat in the mid-40s continues to hamper containment efforts. While authorities are focused on property protection and evacuations, the national weather forecaster warned that fire weather alerts remain active for large swaths of the country, keeping the nation on high alert for further flare-ups.

Photo credit AFP