Extreme heat and bushfire risk across Australia’s south-east on Christmas and Boxing days as Grampians blaze rages
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Three states face dangerous fire conditions as a wave of hot and dry weather triggers total fire bans and warnings of power outages. A scorching blast of hot, dry and windy weather is fanning fires in multiple states and territories, as emergency services direct their attention to Victoria ahead of Boxing Day.
![[Bushfires are out of control in Grampians national park in Victoria.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/b2ea9d15309117bcf4b1ae4fe68e011e517a74a5/0_116_2016_1210/master/2016.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
Firefighters are working to contain blazes in almost every jurisdiction, with multiple fires burning east of Perth, in Victoria’s Grampians region and in Smithfield north of Adelaide, as temperatures in the South Australian capital push towards 36C.
Total fire bans are in place for the Mount Lofty Ranges and west coast region. Fire services are working to control minor blazes and scrub fires in the NT, NSW and in Sprent, southwest of Tasmania’s Davenport. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email.
In Victoria’s Grampians national park, where a more-than 40-hectare blaze has burned for days, watch-and-act warnings are still in place and it remains unsafe for people to return to Bellfield, Halls Gap and surrounding areas. Firefighters from multiple states are assisting their Victorian counterparts as they work to secure containment lines before Boxing Day, which is expected to bring the worst conditions since the 2019 black summer.
Residents in parts of Pomonal in the Grampians national park were urged to leave immediately on Wednesday afternoon, amid an out-of-control bushfire. Relief centres had been established at Ararat and Stawell. Severe Weather Update: Damaging Winds and Extreme Fire Dangers for parts of SA & Vic.
