15/12/2024
Total Fire Ban declared
A Total Fire Ban has been declared for today across all of Pyrenees Shire and the wider region due to elevated fire danger conditions.
This means no fires can be lit in the open air or allowed to remain alight from 12:01 am to 11:59 pm.
Forecasts predict hot, dry, and windy conditions across Victoria.
Avoca and Beaufort are both expecting a top temperature of 42 degrees today.
Strong north to northwest winds, with damaging gusts of up to 80 km/h, are expected ahead of a south to south-westerly cool change, which will sweep across the state from the southwest at around 2 pm, extend further west by 5 pm, and reach central parts of the state by 8 pm.
Before the change, dry thunderstorms and lightning are possible, while the change itself may bring wet thunderstorms.
A Total Fire Ban means harvesting activities, like operating headers or tractors, must be carefully managed, as sparks or heat from equipment can easily ignite dry grass.
Fireworks and open-air fires, including campfires are also off-limits.
People travelling on the V/Line service between Ararat and Melbourne are running to an extreme heat timetable and some services may be delayed or cancelled and replaced with coaches.
