Victoria, Australia, is facing a severe weather crisis with catastrophic fire danger ratings issued across the state, including Melbourne and western Victoria, where a total fire ban is in effect. Fire authorities have urged residents in parts of Victoria to be ready to evacuate due to the 'catastrophic' fire conditions, the worst since the Black Summer bushfires, with temperatures soaring beyond 40C. In addition to the bushfire threat, the state is grappling with power outages and transport delays caused by severe thunderstorms. The power crisis was exacerbated by a major outage at Victoria's biggest power station, Loy Yang A, leaving 500,000 Victorians without electricity. Firefighters are battling multiple out-of-control bushfires in the state's west, with five firefighters injured and properties reported destroyed in the Grampians National Park. Residents in towns south of Halls Gap have been told to evacuate immediately due to a fast-moving bushfire. Victorian firefighters warn that broken-down trucks and equipment are putting lives at risk amid these conditions. Energy experts have warned of more extreme weather and power outages as a result of climate change.
Sky News host Andrew Bolt has slammed the Victorian government’s “mad push” to renewables after approximately 500,000 people in the state experienced blackouts on Tuesday night. https://t.co/FyZ4bNB1my
The forecast comes after severe thunderstorms lashed parts of Victoria yesterday, which resulted in widespread power outages across homes and businesses. #9News https://t.co/3FD4qssu7y
An emergency warning has been issued to communities near the Grampians National Park, with some residents told it is "too late to leave". #9News https://t.co/4EUChCiEmY
Energy experts have warned Victoria must expect, and prepare for, more horror days of dangerous weather extremes and mass power outages like Tuesday “as a result of climate change”. > https://t.co/uXNAhr2xcE https://t.co/XWlWmI9fja
Homes have been lost in areas near Halls Gap in a raging bushfire that injured several firefighters, as crews wait to assess the damage in the Grampians blazes. > https://t.co/3UzrLjpGCJ https://t.co/h7MnftCCYY
Severe thunderstorms have battered Sydney leaving more than 1,900 homes without power in the city’s west. https://t.co/jAHG0RtpOE
Fire crews battle to contain bushfires in Victoria's west amid the largest power outage in the state's history.https://t.co/3A9cMbcKHa
Five firefighters have been injured as Victoria battles multiple out of control bushfires in the state's west. https://t.co/ip3sjOrUEu
Sky News host Steve Price says Victoria’s biggest power station Loy Yang A went down earlier today as 500,000 Victorians went without power. https://t.co/ubLzkCiLgY
Bushfires are raging across Victoria’s western region with thousands of residents told it is “too late to leave”. https://t.co/cJgdP7qKPY
An out-of-control bushfire has injured five firefighters and is reported to have destroyed property in the Grampians National Park as emergency services say it has reached the town of Pomonal. https://t.co/57ILNQ3NJE
The Daily Telegraph’s Tim Blair says a bushfire emergency is currently unfolding in Victoria. https://t.co/sQpQxGbaOb
🚨🇦🇺 BUSHFIRE IN AUSTRALIA TRIGGERS EVACUATIONS Australian residents in towns south of Halls Gap have been told to leave immediately with a fast-moving bushfire in the Grampians National Park growing rapidly. Source: The Guardian https://t.co/i3STSq6HBB
As bushfires threaten communities in Victoria's west, Melbourne residents have been hit with power outages and major transport delays from severe thunderstorms. Follow live. https://t.co/00shOmO1yg
AI Group Climate & Energy Policy Director Tennant Reed says the wholesale power prices have gone “from the ceiling to the floor” as one of Victoria’s biggest power stations Loy Yang A experiences a major outage. https://t.co/ZA82eMq0Ty
Load shedding under way in parts of Victoria as prices in the spot market go haywire… (via @reddolphinsys ) https://t.co/EuK1rLuMrD
Watch and Act alerts are in place for a number of fires in the Grampians National Park, as the state braces for catastrophic fire conditions. > https://t.co/PJovkeOXtk https://t.co/HeX46ODP3x
Watch live: Emergency services officials are providing an update on Victoria's weather conditions. https://t.co/80l8lB14uc
Large swathes of Victoria are under a total fire ban as millions of residents face hot and windy conditions, with one region placed under the catastrophic fire danger rating. https://t.co/7M08AwRny8
Victoria is bracing for a day of danger on today, with ‘catastrophic’ and ‘extreme’ fire warnings: https://t.co/L7Ys1UNWFc https://t.co/IQhy8uTnCa
Victorian firefighters are warning broken-down trucks and equipment are putting lives at risk, as the state faces the worst fire conditions seen since the Black Summer bushfires. > https://t.co/UM9xRmFv9A https://t.co/KDX7lWv3i0
A total fire ban has been issued for parts of the state ahead of Tuesday’s scorcher, with authorities warning of catastrophic conditions and gusty winds as the mercury soars beyond 40C. > https://t.co/7REvjPHn7d https://t.co/xqBOyywh8a
Melbourne and western Victoria are under a total fire ban as the state braces for the worst day for fire conditions since the Black Summer bushfires. https://t.co/7EJbMA8D36
Fire authorities warn Victorians to brace for a "catastrophic" fire danger rating today, with parts of the state urged to be ready to evacuate. https://t.co/OwB36ggpbv
Large areas of Australia could be slammed by dual severe weather events as bushfires and devastating storms loom for the south and eastern parts of the country. https://t.co/yDloveCbJV