{"id":108,"date":"2019-12-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-12-15T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cms.star1045.com.au\/uncategorized\/firefighters-brace-dangerous-conditions-heatwave-hits-nsw\/"},"modified":"2020-03-27T11:09:40","modified_gmt":"2020-03-27T01:09:40","slug":"firefighters-brace-dangerous-conditions-heatwave-hits-nsw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms.star1045.com.au\/lifestyle\/firefighters-brace-dangerous-conditions-heatwave-hits-nsw\/","title":{"rendered":"Firefighters brace for dangerous conditions as heatwave hits NSW"},"content":{"rendered":"Published Tuesday 17\/12\/2019<\/em>\n\nFirefighters across NSW are preparing for dangerous and difficult conditions this week with a heatwave expected to begin in the state today.\n\nThe Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) is predicting record-breaking temperatures above 40\u02daC from Tuesday to Saturday, while the possibility temps could skyrocket to 45\u02da in the western parts of the state.\n\n\n\nThere is a likelihood that this week\u2019s sweltering temperatures could break both monthly and all-time records, according to BOM meteorologist Dr Adam Morgan.\n\n\u201cWe may even approach or exceed Australia\u2019s warmest day with nationwide temperatures at 43 degrees,\u201d he revealed.\n\nThese temperatures are expected to add fuel to the already blazing fires raging across the state, with Dr Richard Thornton, the chief executive of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (BNHCRC) revealing the full extent of the danger.\n\n\u201cIt will dry out all the vegetation very quickly, which means that fires will start easily.\u201d\n\nHe explained that these heatwave temperatures would also drive down humidity, creating a dry landscape with more fuel for fires.\n\n\n\n\u201cSo it will be really imperative that people are careful about potential ignition sources \u2013 barbecues, power tools, lawn mowers \u2013 all those types of things which could create sparks.\u201d\n\nThorton also went on to reveal that wind changes, which often occur at the end of heatwave conditions, are one of the most dangerous times for bushfires.\n\n\u201cThe fire can move very rapidly, particularly grassfires can move very rapidly in response to those wind changes.\u201d\n\nGosford\u2019s temps are expected to climb to 37 degrees on Thursday and 35 degrees on Saturday, while Wyong will sit a little higher at 38 degrees on Thursday and 36 degrees on Saturday.\n\nTo report a fire emergency\n