BALLARAT’S hottest autumn day since 1957 contributed to the perfect storm of weather events feeding yesterday’s Dereel inferno, stretching the bushfire season into Easter.
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Ballarat reached 32.9 degrees, breaking the previous record of 31.5 in April eight years ago.
It has also been the driest March so far since 2005.
It comes a week after one of Victoria’s key firefighting weapons, aircrane Gypsy Lady, was released from its contract and left Ballarat, in a sign of expectations the bushfire season was winding up.
State Control Centre spokesperson Tony Bearzatto said conditions yesterday were unusual, but not unheard of, for this time of year.
“Over the next few days, while the temperature is going to be down, the fuel that’s out there is still very dry and today is evidence of how quickly it will burn.”
Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino said yesterday was Ballarat’s hottest autumn day since 1957, on top of the driest March so far since 2005.
