Australia news live: all of Victoria warned to expect ‘upper end of extreme’ fire danger on Friday; PM attends funeral of Bondi victim Peter Meagher

Victoria to see extreme fire conditions on Friday as officials warn any bushfires that break out will be ‘uncontrollable’

The entirety of Victoria will likely see extreme fire behaviour conditions on Friday amid an ongoing heatwave, officials said, warning that any fires that do break out will likely be uncontrollable amid hot, dry, windy conditions.

Jason Heffernan, the chief officer of the Country Fire Authority, said total fire bans would continue for some areas across the state on Thursday, saying officials are preparing for the impacts of the heatwave in the coming days.

We are expecting the upper end of extreme across the entire state of Victoria for Friday. We will see yet again the continuation of those mid 40 degrees temperatures, and an even greater increasing of those very hot northerly winds

Fires under these conditions are uncontrollable. If a fire starts and takes hold, it will spread very quickly

Vicki Ward, the Victorian minister for emergency services, said conditions will be “incredibly challenging” over the next few days. Officials warned all Victorians to be prepared with an evacuation plan and for any unexpected power outages.

Smoke from a fire burning in Victoria’s north-east. Photograph: Lesley LashbrookShare

Updated at 05.55 CET

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Petra Stock

Animals given ice blocks at zoos as one closes due to heat

With Murray Bridge, in SA’s Murraylands region, forecast to reach 46C on Wednesday, nearby Monarto Safari Park made the decision to close.

Animals were coping well, staff said, with most having access to shade, waterholes and indoor areas.

Adelaide zoo remained open, as temperatures in the city hit 43C.

During periods of extreme heat, keepers at both zoos adjust daily routines and provide cooling options like ice blocks, cooling mats, fans and misters, while closely monitoring animal behaviour to ensure their comfort and welfare.

Adelaide Zoo has shared some photos with us of some of their animals with their ice blocks.

Adelaide Zoo’s giant panda, Yi Lan, with an ice block for relief in hot weather. Photograph: Zoos SASquirrel Monkeys with an ice block at Adelaide Zoo. Photograph: Zoos SAA giraffe with an ice block. Photograph: Loren Foster/Zoos SAShare

St John Ambulance offers advice on how to stay safe in the heat

Marian Casey from St John Ambulance was on the ABC a short time ago talking about the signs of heat exhaustion or fatigue that you should look out for.

Casey said anyone doing any physical activity today should make sure they stay cool.

If you’ve got air conditioning, turn it on, she said, and make sure that you stay hydrated.

She added that, if someone starts feeling unwell, if they feel dizzy or even start vomiting, make sure that you look after them.

Give them some cool water to drink, she said. Use a wet towel or a cloth to cool them down and if they start vomiting or become unconscious, make sure that you call triple zero.

She said anyone outside, especially doing any sort of physical activity, should be really careful because heat exhaustion can “come on quite quickly”.

If you start feeling warm or overheated, stop physical activity and find some cool shade, she said.

In terms of the physical signs to look out for, she said:

The first symptom is obviously that they’re going to start feeling warm, start feeling thirsty and then they’ll start feeling dizzy.

And the more extreme symptoms can be, as said, vomiting or loss of consciousness.

Beachgoers escape the heat at Long Beach at Sandy Bay in Hobart. Photograph: Ethan James/AAPShare

Updated at 06.47 CET

Cait Kelly

For Anchor Community Care, a homelessness service that works in the north-east of Melbourne, the issue is complex – many of the rough sleepers it has as clients live in bushland, making fire danger a main concern.

Leanne Nicholson, Anchor’s acting CEO, said:

We work closely with the local CFA and police to advise on the locations and needs of our local rough sleeper population.

Heat like this is a very serious threat to the lives of people sleeping rough.

AIHW data shows that the median age of death for rough sleepers in Australia is just 46. This is 36 years less than the rest of the population – almost half of their life lost as a result of experiencing homelessness.

This is due to the health impacts that come with an experience of homelessness. The threat is very real for our rough sleepers during extreme weather and their lives are at risk unless we do all we can to support them.

It’s crucial that a priority is placed on the health and safety of our most vulnerable people. Their experience of homelessness doesn’t make them less deserving of the dignity, safety and health afforded to the rest of Australia.

Updated at 05.36 CET

Cait Kelly

Homelessness services in Victoria go into overdrive in heatwave

Launch Housing says it is moving rough sleepers into emergency accommodation to keep them out of the heat in Victoria.

Janita Suter, the head of marketing and communications, said:

Our outreach workers are out keeping people hydrated, making sure they’re staying in shade, giving out drinks and cooling supplies. We are offering more emergency accommodation to keep people out of the heat.

The people most at risk are those with chronic medical conditions, socially isolated, and older Australians over 65. We are monitoring for the signs of heat exhaustion.

She said heatwaves were often the organisation’s busiest time, keeping not just clients but staff safe, while getting people off the streets.

Launch has existing relationships with hotels, which we know are suitable for different cohorts. And we are drawing upon existing funds for this because there are no additional funds.

Updated at 06.53 CET

Cait Kelly

Government urged to switch off mutual obligations in heatwaves

The Antipoverty Centre has written to key ministers requesting mutual obligations (MOs) are switched off in heatwaves.

Jobseekers are required to meet mutual obligation requirements – such as attending meetings with an employment provider – to receive their payments. But when a natural disaster occurs, the government turns the system off for those in the impacted area.

In the letter, sent to the federal minister for employment and workplace relations, Amanda Rishworth, the centre’s research and policy adviser, Jay Coonan, called for MOs to be turned off. He wrote:

I understand that changes were requested of providers to change servicing arrangements to limit people attending activities in person, however from past experience we know that these requests from the department rarely trickle down to the street-level.

The only effective way to protect a person in these conditions is to give them the confidence to refuse any demands of their providers and to seek safety at home or in a third space that provides relief and any support a person may need.

Updated at 05.23 CET

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Victoria to see extreme fire conditions on Friday as officials warn any bushfires that break out will be ‘uncontrollable’

Fires under these conditions are uncontrollable. If a fire starts and takes hold, it will spread very quickly

Smoke from a fire burning in Victoria’s north-east. Photograph: Lesley LashbrookShare

Updated at 05.55 CET

British man charged with displaying Nazi symbols asks to be voluntarily removed from country after visa cancelled

A British national facing deportation for alleged offences has caused a potential federal standoff after requesting removal from Australia, AAP reports.

Kayn Adam Charles Wells, 43, was arrested at Caboolture, north of Brisbane, in November following an Australian Federal Police national security investigation.

Wells was charged with displaying Nazi symbols and posting harmful content on the social media site X and granted bail. Federal police also allegedly found several weapons “including swords bearing swastika symbology, axes and knives” in Wells’ possession.

Home affairs minister, Tony Burke, cancelled Wells’ visa on 23 December and the Briton was taken into immigration detention, facing deportation. Wells signed a Department of Home Affairs form requesting voluntary removal on Tuesday, a day before he faced Caboolture magistrates court.

He cannot be prosecuted if he is removed from the country.

Updated at 04.33 CET

Eelemarni Close-Brown

NSW health system preparing for ‘searing temperatures’ over coming days

NSW health minister, Ryan Park, said today is about the state’s health system and emergency services getting prepared ahead of a forecast heatwave in Sydney and other parts of the state.

“We know that over the next few days we are going to see searing temperatures here in Sydney, western Sydney and other parts of New South Wales,” Park said.

Park also urged individuals to take steps to “try to reduce the burden on our services across New South Wales”.

A ferry sails across Sydney Harbour. Photograph: Jessica Hromas/AAP

He urged people to exercise in the cooler parts of the day, and not during the middle of the day or after lunch, as parts of Sydney will reach temperatures close to 44C.

Other advice included consuming water throughout the day to avoid dehydration, looking after vulnerable family members particularly older people and young children and not leaving young children in a car for any length of time. Park said:

It is absolutely critical that people understand over the next few days that car temperatures that are left stationary will soar in a matter of minutes and that can have catastrophic outcomes for young children.

Updated at 04.24 CET

Cait Kelly

Cool kits and $100 vouchers for drinks and food available to Melburnians in need amid heatwave

Chief heat officer at the City of Melbourne, Krista Milne, said the council had activated its cool hubs, which included the libraries, pools and community neighbourhood centres, to keep people safe.

She said:

We are making sure everyone has a cool place to go. So if they’re out on the streets, and they’re feeling hot, they can visit one of those places.

Community safety officers have also been going around the CBD, checking on those experiencing homelessness and handing out cool kits. The kits include water, Hydralite, towels people can wet and put over their necks and maps of cool places in the city.

St Kilda beach in Melbourne. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

They are also offering those who need it, $100 7-Eleven vouchers so they can buy cool drinks and feed themselves.

With the heatwave building through the next three days, that will be the community safety officers’ focus. They’re out there with those vouchers, engaging with people, making sure they have options and are safe. At this point, there haven’t been any issues reported.

She said the council also had a cool route map up online, so people could plan the coolest way to get form A to B, when they were out in the city. Residents in the City of Melbourne can also swim at the outdoor pools for $2 in January.

Lord Mayor, Nick Reece, also called for people to stay safe in the heat:

We want every Melburnian to take the heatwave seriously. If you need to cool down, head to one of our libraries, cool places or swimming pools – and our community safety officers have bottled water on hand for those who need it.

Updated at 04.05 CET

Cait Kelly

Melbourne libraries become designated cooling spots

Libraries across Melbourne have become designated cooling spots, extending their hours, making sure there is water and staff checking in on people sheltering from the heat. Cool spots with extended hours include those in Yarra, Port Philip and Maribyrnong.

Despite running air-con and free drinking water, both the St Kilda library and North Fitzroy were quiet leading up to lunch.

A beachgoer is seen at St Kilda Beach in Melbourne. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

A regular at St Kilda said a few of the locals who are homeless had come in to take shelter from the heat, but it was not any busier than a normal Wednesday.

The streets in the inner suburbs are quiet, with hardly anyone out. Most businesses are keeping their doors closed to keep in the cool air.

Anthony Albanese attends funeral of Bondi victim Peter Meagher

The prime minister was in Sydney today to attend the funeral of former NSW police detective sergeant Peter Meagher, who was killed in the Bondi terror attack.

Albanese placed holy water on the coffin at St Mary’s Cathedral in the CBD. Meagher was working as a freelance photographer at the event on 14 December when he was killed.

His funeral is the last to take place after the mass shooting.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese places holy water on Meagher’s coffin. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAPShare

Updated at 03.35 CET

Petra Stock

Extreme heat can increase risk of power outages, but here’s how to prepare

Electricity network company Powercor said networks were designed to cope in the heat, however extreme conditions could increase the risk of outages.

It was closely monitoring the situation and ready to respond, asking customers to prepare in case of localised outages. A spokesperson said:

Victorians can act too by preparing for power outages as part of their emergency plan. They should charge phones and other devices, have a battery-powered radio available for real time news updates, and sign up for SMS notifications about power supplies at www.powercor.com.au/notify.

People that rely on life support equipment or need electrical items to care for others should have a back-up plan ready.

Updated at 03.29 CET

Another emergency warning in place in central Victoria over grassfire

There’s another emergency warning in place in central Victoria around the Moyreisk, Natte Yallock, Redbank and Stuart Mill areas due to a grassfire, with residents in the area urged to leave immediately. Details on that incident are below.

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