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Catastrophic fire danger forecast for Vic after Melbourne’s hottest day in six years

Source Weatherzone Wed 07 Jan 2026

Friday will be a dangerous day for fires in Victoria, with hot and windy weather to cause catastrophic fire danger ratings in the state’s north and west. Heating up in Victoria Wednesday marked the start of three extremely hot days in Vic as a large mass of heat from the Australian interior spreads across the state. 39 weather stations in Vic registered their highest temperature in six to seven years on Wednesday. This included Melbourne, which reached 41.0°C, its highest temperature since January 2020. Places that had their hottest day since 2019 included: 44.3 °C at Longerenong 42.6°C at Edenhope 41.8°C at Hamilton 41.6°C at Casterton Wednesday’s heat contributed to dangerous fire weather that saw emergency warnings issued for blazes in central and northeast Vic, one near Longwood to the northeast of Seymour, and another in the Mount Lawson State Park near the Vic-NSW border. Catastrophic fire weather on the horizon Thursday will be another hot day in northern Vic, with temperatures reaching the low to mid 40s. This heat will contribute to extreme fire danger in the Mallee, Northern Country and North East districts. Southern Vic will have some respite from the heat and fire danger on Thursday under the influence of cooler southerly winds. Conditions will deteriorate on Friday as heat becomes more widespread across Vic amid strengthening north-northwesterly winds ahead of a cold front. Image: Forecast maximum temperature over Vic on Friday. Source: Weatherzone. Temperatures are predicted to reach around 41°C in Melbourne on Friday, which could exceed Wednesday’s maximum in the city. Further north, the mercury could climb to 43°C in Albury-Wodonga and 45°C in Mildura on Friday afternoon. Friday’s hot and windy weather will cause a spike in fire danger, with catastrophic fire danger forecast for the Wimmera, Northern Country and North Central districts. The rest of Vic is predicted to see extreme fire danger ratings on Friday. Image: Forecast fire danger ratings in Vic on Friday, January 9, 2026. Source: Weatherzone. Catastrophic fire danger is the highest category on the Australian scale, meaning these are the most dangerous conditions possible for fires. Vic’s Country Fire Service suggests the following advice for areas with catastrophic bushfire risk: Your life may depend on the decisions you make, even before there is a fire. For your survival, do not be in bushfire risk areas. Stay safe by going to a safer location early in the morning or the night before. Homes cannot withstand fires in these conditions. You may not be able to leave, and help may not be available. Anyone in Vic can keep up to date with the latest fire warnings by visiting the Vic Emergency website. - Weatherzone © Weatherzone 2026