VIC Heat & Bushfire Warnings ~ 08 JAN 2026
PART 2 ~~ Heatwave conditions reported = worst since Black Summer 2020
This Sky News report at 12:35 PM Thursday, 8th January 2026 ~ extreme fire danger in Victoria!
This is part of a news.com article by Eli Green;
« An out-of-control bushfire has destroyed at least two buildings and is putting lives at risk in Victoria’s north, with authorities warning conditions will be “catastrophic” by Friday.
Two emergency bushfire warnings and two watch and act warnings have been issued to areas surrounding the blaze that is ripping through Longwood.
The alert has been issued for Locksley, Longwood, Longwood East, Ruffy, Tarcombe, Upton Hill, Dropmore, Ruffy, Avenel, Caveat, Highlands and Terip Terip – all roughly 150km north of Melbourne.
The warning urges affected residents to “leave immediately”.»
Source: incidents and warnings ~ vicemergency
This heatwave map from the BoM highlights the weather severity/
Source: BoM
This map below shows one particular area under threat, unfortunately no map scale was provided.
Source: news.com
According to Forest Fire Management Victoria chief fire officer Chris Hardman, lightning across much of the state on Thursday and Friday meant that, « fires (would) be ignited.» He further stated;
« The forests and the grasslands are already dry - those lightning bands will hit the ground, and fires will kick off really quickly, and any fire that can’t be pulled up immediately will be unsuppressible,” he said.
“It will be uncontrollable beyond our capability.»
Source: news.com
ABC TV News broadcast this report below from Wodonga, VIC this morning ~ Thursday 8th January 2026.
Source: ABC TV News
About the fire-fighting vehicle below…
Details were sent to Australian political, civilian and military leaders years ago. This 2010 era armoured fire-fighting vehicle is just one of several state-of-the-art vehicles that have never been deployed in Australia?
Source: youtube ~ Löschpanzer von Airmatic
Significance
How many more fire-fighters, citizens, businesses, communities, farmers and wildfire need to be sacrificed, before these state-of-the-art vehicles are utilised?
Further reading: Fighting Bushfires ~ Lessons from Remembrance Day