The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting extremely hot conditions tomorrow and the fire-danger rating has been raised to Catastrophic for the Wimmera, Northern Country (where our Bendigo and Shepparton campuses are located) and North Central districts.
There is a widespread Extreme fire-danger rating for the remainder of Victoria; and heatwave and increased fire risk is also forecast for regions across Australia.
Victorian campuses
Friday 9 January is predicted to reach 42 degrees in Bundoora, with even hotter conditions predicted for regional areas including 43 degrees for Bendigo and Albury-Wodonga, 44 degrees for Shepparton and 45 degrees for Mildura.
The weather may result in uncomfortable conditions on campus and the performance of air-conditioning cooling systems may decrease. Please factor this into your planning if you need to attend campus and ensure you use an air-conditioned space or a cool area.
Please note that the Mildura campus will close at 2 pm today and 2 pm on Friday due to the extreme weather conditions.
Fire ratings and your safety
As the fire-danger rating tomorrow has been raised to the highest level Catastrophic for some Victorian regions, it is important that you do not travel into any affected areas.
If a Catastrophic rating has been issued for your region, government advice is to avoid bushfire risk areas entirely. Anyone located in or near bushfire risk areas (e.g. bushland, grassland, rural locations) should closely follow advice from emergency services and be prepared to leave early, well before conditions deteriorate.
Please do not travel to these regions unnecessarily and avoid high-risk bushfire areas. Be aware of your personal safety, ensure you continue to monitor your surrounding conditions and be prepared to act on any further updates or instructions issued by emergency services or the University.
The Department of Health website contains information on extreme heat and advice on practical tips to protect yourself and others, including staying well hydrated.
Stay informed
More information and resources are available via Victoria’s Country Fire Authority website, where you can also learn which fire district you are located in, or via the NSW Rural Fire Service website.
We recommend students follow VicEmergency updates and download the VicEmergency app to stay informed for the most up-to-date warnings in your local area.
Please take care and stay safe this week and throughout summer.