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Wells on private land ‘hard to map’

Josue Ramirez Nelson
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Wells on private land ‘hard to map’

While Government has declared success in mapping wells located on roads and other areas accessible to state agencies, identifying wells on private properties remains a major challenge.

Speaking with the Weekend Nation yesterday, Jennifer King, acting chief technical officer in the Ministry of Transport and Works (MTW), said the task was difficult given the sheer number of wells across the island, many of which were hidden or unknown.

“We have been continuing the mapping but that is one of the areas of concern and one of those difficulties because a lot of wells are on private property and it’s not that easy mapping them.

“When you go into those vast areas of private property, there are a tremendous [number] of wells and you will have people who have been in that area for quite a while who still don’t even realise that there is a well there,” she said.

While precise figures on the number of wells mapped were not available at the time, King confirmed that those located in areas easily accessible to Government had already been identified.

She explained that on private lands, particularly large acreages such as plantations, the Drainage Unit relied heavily on landowners for information but even that could be incomplete.

Public safety

“Let’s take a plantation. Someone may know that there are six wells there but they may not recall that there is a seventh and we may not know until something happens. It may have been abandoned and they don’t recall,” she added.

King said that mapping wells served multiple purposes beyond public safety.

“The other reasons that we’re trying to map these would be because when we start looking at water courses and how the water moves, it helps to know where these existing wells are and how much water they’re taking,” she said.

Public concern over the danger of exposed wells resurfaced following a frightening incident on Monday afternoon in Goodland Gardens, Christ Church, when 72-year-old Lolene Rawlins fell into an uncovered 87-foot well hidden by bush beneath a dunks tree in an open pasture in the area which she routinely crossed during her morning and evening walks.

Rawlins spent about 12 hours trapped in the well before being rescued by members of the Roving Response Team and the Barbados Fire Service. The rescue operation took nearly two hours.

She has since returned home and is counting herself fortunate to be alive, having suffered a bruised knee, lacerations to her left foot and injuries to two fingers on her left hand.

Rawlins also raised concerns about the number of open wells left unchecked in private fields.

The well has since been barricaded. Residents said it had previously been covered with a sheet of galvanise after a cow fell into it several years ago and had to be rescued by the Barbados Fire Service. Over time, tall grass grew around the area, concealing the hazard.

The issue of exposed wells is not new. This media house has previously highlighted the danger in reports published in 2017, 2019 and 2021.

In July 2019, Member of Parliament for St James South, Sandra Husbands, said a programme was being fast-tracked by the Ministry of Housing to address the condition of National Housing Corporation (NHC) units and their environs, including poorly secured and dilapidated wells. That initiative followed the tragic death of 18-yearold Kyriq Boyce, who fell into a 100-foot well at Martin Road, The Pine, St Michael, on July 4.

In the days following Boyce’s death, residents in NHC communities across Gall Hill, Wotton, Sayes Court and St Matthias in Christ Church, Wildey in St Michael and Haynesville in St James also raised concerns about exposed wells in their neighbourhoods. (JRN)

Three charged in Cash Wiz aggravated burglary probe

Nationnews Desk
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Three charged in Cash Wiz aggravated burglary probe

Update

Livingston Dacosta Brewster, 55, of South District, St George, Cashem Kode Lucien, 22, of No. 21 Dover Crescent, Cave Hill, St Michael, and Akeem Emmanuel Chung, 22, of Field Place, Bayville, St Michael, appeared in court today in relation to multiple criminal charges, including the aggravated burglary at Cash Wiz Barbados on December 21, 2025.

The trio appeared before Magistrate Alison Burke in the District ‘A’ Traffic Court. They were not required to enter a plea to the indictable offences and were remanded to the Barbados Prison Service at Dodds.

They are scheduled to reappear on Friday, February 6. A separate matter relating to Holetown has been transferred to the Holetown Magistrates’ Court for Thursday, January 22.

******

Earlier Story

Three men have been jointly charged in connection with an aggravated burglary at Cash Wiz Barbados and other related offences.

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Bagwell: Keep rugby iron hot

Kimberley Browne
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Bagwell: Keep rugby iron hot

President of the Barbados Rugby Football Union (BRFU) Donovan Bagwell has called for the momentum of last year’s success to be transformed into long-term development.

Bagwell said this year is about consolidation rather than reinvention. “It’s about building on what we’ve already put in place, not starting again. We want clear training schedules and preparation opportunities that add value.”

He warned that resources will determine how far the programme can push on. “Funding and logistics are always the biggest challenges. Travel, preparation, and medical support are expensive, and expectations naturally rise after success. Sponsorship will be key,” he said.

Turning momentum into growth, he said, means widening participation and strengthening the rugby workforce. “It means growing participation and developing the coaches, administrators, and officials of the future, so the game is properly supported at every level.

“If we continue to get the structures and standards right, performance and growth will follow,” Bagwell said.

Barbados rugby’s breakthrough year in 2025 marked a turning point for the national programme, with the highlight being the silver medal won in the men’s Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens tournament held in Trinidad and Tobago. That medal ensured Barbados claimed the number one qualifying spot for the region in the upcoming Central American Games, which will be held in the Dominican Republic.

Bagwell hailed the preparation behind the campaign, saying: “A lot of hard work and training by the players, first and foremost, made the breakthrough possible. They put the time in and took responsibility for their preparation.”

He praised the influence of head coach Joe Whipple, adding: “Alongside that was meticulous planning and preparation by coach Joe Whipple, which gave the programme real structure and clarity going into the tournament.”

The men’s squad also benefitted from a preparation week in Turks and Caicos, supported by the Barbados Olympic Association. 

“That gave the group uninterrupted time together, good training conditions, and the chance to really lock in standards and cohesion away from normal distractions,” he said.

Bagwell spoke of the unity across the national setup, noting: “There was strong cohesion between the men’s and women’s teams. They supported each other in the lead-up and throughout the RAN Sevens tournament, and that sense of togetherness helped create the right environment for performance when it mattered.”

The women’s side finished sixth in their competition after they lost 14-7 to Guyana in the fifth vs sixth play-off on the last day. 

Bagwell said the team’s success reshaped expectations inside the camp. 

“It changed belief within the camp. Players now know we can compete at the top end of the region. That’s a big shift. We’re no longer talking about ‘doing well’, we’re talking about standards and expectations.”

He said the campaign also reinforced the importance of organisation behind the scenes. “It reinforced that planning and structure matter. Success on the field comes from work off the field,” he said, adding that the season “raised the profile of the game locally” and strengthened Barbados’ reputation internationally.

Youth development was another major highlight of 2025, particularly through the launch of the Pelican Academy. 

“The Academy is focused on youth player development and identifying the next generation of national players, that work is central to securing the future of the game in Barbados.”

He said the pathway is about supporting young people as much as developing athletes. “We are focused on providing better, safer, and more inclusive environments for young people. These pathways are designed to instil strong values, create a sense of belonging, and provide positive structure,” he said

At the senior level, Bagwell pointed to the men’s National XVs team’s one-point loss to Trinidad and Tobago. “Had that result gone the other way, Barbados would have been crowned regional champions in both the Sevens and XVs formats,” he said. “That speaks to the progress being made.”

The women’s Sevens team, he said, remains “on a path of discovery and experience,” with the long-term objective of competing in Rugby Americas North XVs Tests from 2027. 

US Senate votes to curb military action in Venezuela

Nationnews Desk
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US Senate votes to curb military action in Venezuela

WASHINGTON – The US Senate voted on Thursday to advance a resolution that would bar President Donald Trump from taking further military action against Venezuela without congressional authorisation, even as Trump said U.S. oversight of the troubled nation could last years.

The Senate voted 52 to 47 on a procedural measure to advance the war powers resolution, as a handful of Trump’s fellow Republicans voted with every Democrat in favour of moving ahead toward a final vote on the matter.

Earlier, Trump told the New York Times in an interview published on Thursday that the US could oversee Venezuela and control its oil revenue for years.

Trump also appeared to lift a threat of military action against Venezuela’s neighbour, Colombia. Trump invited Colombia’s leftist leader, whom he had previously called a “sick man,” to visit Washington.

“Only time will tell” how long the United States will oversee Venezuela, Trump said. When asked by the newspaper if it would be three months, six months, a year or longer, Trump said: “I would say much longer.”

“We will rebuild it in a very profitable way,” Trump said of Venezuela, where he sent troops to seize President Nicolas Maduro in a night raid on Saturday.

Trump added that the US was “getting along very well” with the government of interim President Delcy Rodriguez, a longstanding Maduro loyalist who had served as the ousted leader’s vice president.

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s top lawmaker, Jorge Rodriguez, said on Thursday that a significant number of both foreign and Venezuelan prisoners would be freed during the day.

The liberations, a repeated demand of the country’s political opposition, are a gesture of peace, Rodriguez said, adding the action was unilateral and not agreed upon with any other party.

Top opposition leader Maria Corina Machado’s movement, as well as other opposition figures and human rights groups, have demanded the release of political prisoners since the US capture of Maduro.

Local rights group Foro Penal estimates there are 863 political prisoners in the country, including political figures, human rights activists, protesters arrested after the disputed 2024 election, and journalists.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the planned prisoner release.

The Times reported Trump declined to answer questions about why he had decided not to give power in Venezuela to the opposition, which Washington had previously considered the legitimate winner of the 2024 election.

The Senate measure faces a steep climb to become law. It would need to be passed by the House of Representatives – which is also controlled by Trump’s Republicans. If both chambers pass the resolution, each would need to secure a two-thirds majority to override a likely Trump veto. But it marked a rare sign of congressional Republican pushback against the Trump White House.

“Republicans should be ashamed of the Senators that just voted with Democrats in attempting to take away our Powers to fight and defend the United States of America,” Trump said in a social media post.

40 years for murder

Heather-Lynn Evanson
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40 years for murder

Convicted murderer Raheem Travonte Barnett, who was described as a “danger to society”, was sentenced to 40 years in prison by the No. 4 Supreme Court yesterday.

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CXC moves to support Jamaican students

Nationnews Desk
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CXC moves to support Jamaican students

KINGSTON – The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has announced the accommodations that will be made for Jamaican students who have been negatively affected by Hurricane Melissa for the May-June sitting of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

The final adjustments were disclosed on Wednesday at a CXC press conference.

CXC Registrar Dr Wayne Wesley said due to the devastation and dislocation caused by the hurricane, the Council of CXC has approved an agreed plan of action with the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information in Jamaica.

Wesley said the examinations will be administered in their normal formats for all schools, while those negatively affected by the hurricane will be offered the flexibility of using the Modified Approach, aspects of which were previously announced by the Education Ministry.

“Modifications and adjustments will be facilitated for Jamaican-based candidates with respect to school-based assessments. Secondly, late registration has been accommodated for candidates from schools negatively affected without any late fee requirements. Thirdly, CXC will extend the timeline for submission of SBAs for schools negatively impacted to June 15, 2026 without any late fee requirements. Then, all candidates based in Jamaica will receive their results in August 2026 with the rest of the region. In other words, there will be no delay,” Wesley revealed.

Additionally, where candidates register and pay for their examinations but no longer feel ready to sit the examinations, they can seek a refund or defer to another session in 2027.

Meanwhile, the CXC’s Director of Operations in Examinations Services, Dr Nicole Manning, said schools in the parishes of Manchester, St. Elizabeth, Hanover, Westmoreland, Trelawny, St. Ann and St. James will be offered the flexibility of the Modified Approach in the assessments.

She noted that the schools in these seven parishes will have until next week Wednesday to indicate which of the formats they will be utilising.

“We will work with our local registrar to ensure that we can identify these schools and we will manage accordingly…. The submissions from the schools will be required by January 14th. So by January 14th, we will know the schools who will be doing the full normal assessment versus the Modified Approach. Along with that, it was identified by the ministry that you do have special cases, very special cases outside of those seven parishes where students and schools may have had some devastation, and CXC will take that into consideration and offer, provide that provision in terms of the facilitation of the use of the modified approach,” she explained.

The Ministry of Education said learning loss among the external examination cohort can be mitigated if teachers and principals adhere to the curriculum guidelines. (CMC)

Economic growth ‘to weaken’ this year

Shawn Cumberbatch
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Economic growth ‘to weaken’ this year

The private consumption and external demand which stimulated economic growth in Barbados and the region in recent times, will weaken this year, causing Latin America and the Caribbean economies to lose some steam amid rising global uncertainty.

That is the prediction of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

The United Nations agency is recommending that countries in the region strengthen their fiscal policy
to make public purses more sustainability, something it deemed necessary “as high debt levels limit governments’ ability to respond to adverse shocks or expand public investment spending”.

ECLAC gave the advice in the recent presentation of its flagship Preliminary Overview of the Economies of Latin America and the Caribbean 2025 report, which was released by its executive secretary, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs in Santiago, Chile.

The organisation projected gross domestic product expansion of 2.9 per cent for Barbados in 2025 but predicted that this would fall to 2.1 per cent this year.

It said overall that growth “is expected to remain weak in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2026, amid still-uncertain global conditions”.

“The Caribbean is expected to grow by 5.5 per cent in 2025 and 8.2 per cent in 2026, underpinned by significant growth in oil activity in Guyana, and aided by the normalisation of tourism and an improved performance in the construction sector,” ECLAC reported.

“However, this sub-region is highly exposed to natural disasters, which constrains its economies’ capacity for growth.”

When Guyana’s forecast is excluded, “the Caribbean . . . is forecast to grow by 1.8 per cent in 2026, at a slightly slower pace compared with 2025”.

“Economic expansion is subject to tourism and construction trends in the subregion, which is highly vulnerable given its dependence on imported energy, high transport costs and exposure to natural disasters,” ECLAC added.

Salazar-Xirinachs said that if the region wanted to increase economic growth, it needed more ambitious productive development policies.

This should be combined “macroeconomic policies that would mobilise more resources for growth, innovation, economic diversification, productive transformation and the creation of quality jobs”.

“Only in this way will the region be able to bolster its resilience and move towards more productive, inclusive and sustainable development,” he said. 

ECLAC’s overall anaylsis was that “for 2026, the economic outlook for Latin America and the Caribbean points to continued slow growth in the region, characterised by moderate growth rates, an uncertain international environment and persistent internal constraints on efforts to foster investment, strengthen productivity and expand formal employment”.

It said Latin America and the Caribbean’s GDP “is projected at 2.4 per cent in 2025 and 2.3 per cent in 2026, reflecting four consecutive years of rates close to 2.3 per cent and confirming that Latin America and the Caribbean is caught in a trap of low capacity for growth”.

A major reason for this is the weakening economic influence from private consumption and external demand.

ECLAC said on this issue that “on the demand side, private consumption will continue to be the main driver of growth, albeit less so, with its contribution falling from two percentage points in 2024 to 1.6 percentage points in 2025 and 1.4 percentage points in 2026”.

It elaborated, stating: “Public consumption will remain weak and while the contribution of investment is set to increase progressively, this will still be insufficient to change the pattern of low growth.

“Net exports will again have a negative contribution in the 2025-2026 biennium, owing to the slacker momentum of exports and a rebound in imports. Average regional growth for the period 2017 to 2026 is projected at just 1.6 per cent, reflecting a combination of the trend towards slowdown and high cyclical volatility.

“In this regard, the growth of around 2.3 per cent recorded between 2023 and 2026 can be interpreted more as a post-pandemic cyclical rebound than as a change in the long-term growth of the region’s economies.”

These issues are compounded by the outlook that the external environment “is expected to remain uncertain”.

“The global economy is expected to grow at a rate of close to three per cent in 2026, against a backdrop of international trade that has virtually flatlined and is vulnerable to geopolitical and trade tensions,” ECLAC said.

“The economic slowdown in the region’s main trading partners – the United States, the eurozone and China –  will weaken external forces. Furthermore, the prices of some of the region’s export commodities are expected to decline in 2026.

“Notwithstanding this downtrend, some commodity prices, such as base and precious metals, will increase.”

The report also said that the region’s current account will register a moderate deficit in 2026, reaching about 1.5 per cent of GDP.

This would “be largely attributable to net interest payments abroad, which will stand at close to 4.1 per cent of GDP [and] will be offset, in part, by a surplus on the goods balance and by remittances inflows, as well as net capital inflows through the financial account of the balance of payments”.

Slower employment was another challenged ECLAC envisaged this year.

“In 2026, a slowdown in employment growth is expected. This will be accompanied by further slight reductions in informality and historically low unemployment rates,” it said.

“Inflation will converge toward a median of three per cent in 2026, after the sharp correction in 2023 to 2025, on the back of falling international food and energy prices, exchange rate appreciation and prudent monetary policies, although with upside risks related to financial volatility and new external shocks.

Given what it sees as the difficult times, including slower economic growth, in store for Barbados and other Latin America and the Caribbean economies over the next 12 months, the UN entity warned that
the region “faces the dual challenge of managing growing macro financial risks and advancing reforms that drive productive transformation and social policies and increase potential growth”.

Domestically, measures must be taken to strengthen fiscal policy sustainability, the report said that “regional authorities must use all the tools available to reduce their economies’ external vulnerability, which is associated with the dependence on natural resource exports and the market concentration that continue to expose countries to the risks of the deterioration of the terms of trade”.

“Undertaking this complex task will require regional authorities to seek opportunities and mechanisms to enhance coordination among fiscal, monetary, exchange rate and prudential policies, with a view to boosting economic growth,” ECLAC said.

“Also needed are policies to speed up productive transformation and increase the productivity of the region’s economies and improve employment quality.

“In this regard, it is necessary to scale up productive development policies: the challenge for the region is to promote integrated agendas for innovation, digitalisation and productive diversification that will increase productivity.”

The publication said that the region “must also make headway in adopting policies to promote formal production units and employment, improving social protection and workforce training, and implementing instruments to reduce structural gender and intergenerational gaps”.

“Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive policies that combine responsible fiscal management with investment incentives, as well as monetary policies designed to consolidate nominal stability and strengthen domestic resource mobilisation, fostering greater financial intermediation and adequate risk assessment,” it suggested. 

“Such fiscal and monetary measures will help to improve efficiency in resource allocation, foster inflation convergence and advance structural reforms that boost the productivity and transformation capacity
of the region’s economies. In addition, the countries of the region should consider policies aimed at expanding access to new export markets, strengthening trade and production cooperation and promoting greater financial integration and intraregional trade.

“It is also necessary to strengthen economic and social institutional frameworks, improve regional cooperation and enhance policy coordination with a view to mitigating external shocks more effectively,”
ECLAC advised.

The predictions and advice in relation to 2026 came after the agency reported that “economic growth in Latin America and the Caribbean remained subdued in 2025, constrained by weak domestic demand
and an uncertain global environment”.

“External sector results were mixed: some countries recorded higher exports of goods and services, while others were affected by pressure on the terms of trade and greater trade volatility,” it said.

“On the fiscal front, fiscal consolidation measures and debt interest payments limited the scope for more active policies. Labour markets continued to recover, but more slowly. Employment grew moderately, labour participation and unemployment gaps between men and women persisted and informality remained high in most of the countries.”

ECLAC noted that inflation “continued to decline, making it possible to move towards less restrictive monetary policies, although investment remained subdued and productivity showed no signs of picking up”.

“Momentum came mainly from the services sector, while manufacturing and construction lagged behind,” it said.

BAS renews call for increase in pork tariffs

Colville Mounsey
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BAS renews call for increase in pork tariffs

The Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) has renewed its call for a sharp increase in tariffs on imported pork, warning that without urgent action, local pig farmers will continue to be squeezed out of the market despite growing domestic production capacity.

Chief executive officer James Paul said pork tariffs stood out as one of the major challenges facing the agricultural sector in 2026.

“Certainly in terms of the issues to be addressed going forward, I think the most pressing happens to be the question of the current tariff levels that we have on certain items of imported pork,” he said. 

“We have increased production coming on, and the investment in the pork sector has benefited more than one farmer, but the market conditions are not allowing local producers to fairly compete.”

Paul explained that the existing tariff regime, which once offered strong protection to local pork producers, had been significantly reduced and not been restored despite repeated appeals from stakeholders in the sector.

“The tariff is already there, it’s 184 per cent. What we are saying is that we shall return back to the normal tariff of 184 per cent, instead of this nonsense that happened. I will be honest with you – it did not happen under this regime, it happened under the previous regime, but despite numerous protests, it has not been changed.”

According to the BAS chief, the reduction of tariffs, to as low as zero to 20 per cent, undermined local farmers just as they were expanding output, leaving many unable to sell animals ready for market.

“Right now, as I speak, we have farmers who have animals on their farms that they cannot absorb. They just can’t absorb them. At the same time, we have these large amounts of imported commodities coming in, and the people bringing in those commodities are not even making overtures to the local pork sector.”

Paul pointed to disparities in how different processors and importers operated, singling out Hipac as an example of a company that had demonstrated long-standing commitment to local farmers.

“Hipac has shown a high level of corporate responsibility. They are the largest purchaser of fresh pork in this country and they have consistently offered contracts to local farmers, even though they could access cheaper pork from abroad.”

By contrast, he raised concerns about other businesses that relied almost exclusively on imports.

“You have companies that bring in imported products at will. They are bringing in products that could be produced here within Barbados, at extremely good quality, and yet they are not prepared to work with
local farmers.”

He rejected claims that Barbadian farmers were unable to meet quality standards demanded by retailers and the hospitality sector.

“That is simply not true. The challenge is whether local retailers and wholesalers are prepared to sit down and work with the agricultural sector, rather than saying from the start that it cannot be done so everything must be imported.”

Paul also highlighted the knock-on effects of seasonal shutdowns by major processors.

“As soon as a holiday approaches, farmers get scared. They know that for the period a company is closed, they are not going to get any major sales of pork and that means they cannot earn a decent income.”

Beyond tariffs, he said broader issues such as praedial larceny, pest control – particularly the growing monkey population – and the need for stronger enforcement mechanisms continued to weigh heavily on farmers.

Lawyer for Nick Reiner withdraws from murder case

Nationnews Desk
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Lawyer for Nick Reiner withdraws from murder case

A high-powered lawyer for Nick Reiner, who is charged with murdering his Hollywood director father Rob Reiner and mother Michele, has withdrawn from the case.

It emerged that Alan Jackson would no longer represent Nick Reiner during a court hearing, though the attorney said afterwards that he believed his now-former client was innocent.

Reiner, 32, did not enter a plea to charges of first-degree murder of his parents during a brief appearance at Los Angeles Superior Court.

The Reiners were found dead with stab wounds on December 14 in the bedroom of their home in Brentwood, Los Angeles.

Jackson said outside court after Wednesday’s hearing that he had left the case.

“Circumstances beyond my control, but more importantly circumstances beyond Nick’s control, have made it impossible for us to continue our representation,” he told reporters.

“I’m legally and ethically prohibited from explaining the reasons why.”

The lawyer, who has previously represented Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey, added that Reiner was not guilty of murder.

But LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said otherwise outside court.

“We are fully confident that a jury will convict Nick Reiner beyond a reasonable doubt of the brutal murder of his parents – Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner,” said the prosecutor.

The accused will now be represented in court by a public defender.

To qualify for a publicly funded attorney, defendants must show they lack the means to fund their legal case.

Rob Reiner’s net worth was estimated at $200m (£150m) and it is unclear who was paying the retainer for his son’s high-powered attorney. The accused has a brother and sister.

When asked by the judge if he understood that he was waiving his right to enter a plea on Wednesday, Reiner said: “Yeah, I agree with it.”

The defendant smiled a few times during the hearing as he spoke to sheriffs’ deputies.

His new lawyer, public defender Kimberly Greene, met Reiner and asked for time to prepare for the case before her new client entered a plea.

The next hearing is set for February 23.

Rob Reiner, 78, directed a handful of iconic films in a variety of genres, including This is Spinal Tap, Misery and A Few Good Men.

Michele Singer Reiner, 70, was an actress, photographer and producer. (BBC)

Australia to face ‘catastrophic’ fire conditions due to heatwaves

Nationnews Desk
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Australia to face ‘catastrophic’ fire conditions due to heatwaves

Parts of Australia will face catastrophic fire conditions on Friday, when heatwaves are expected to hit most of the country.

Severe to extreme heatwaves have been declared in every state and territory in Australia, except for Queensland, with high temperatures forecast for days.

The state of Victoria has declared a total fire ban for Friday, as the fire danger rating will be set at “catastrophic” – the highest level. Some 450 schools and childcare centres will be closed.

One meteorologist told the BBC that the combination of heatwaves and an elevated fire danger in parts of the country could create the most “significant” conditions since the devastating Black Summer bushfires.

On Thursday, firefighters battled several blazes in Victoria and New South Wales (NSW), with a dozen planes carrying water called in to tackle a large fire near the city of Wodonga, the ABC reported.

Melbourne experienced its hottest day in six years on Wednesday with a high of 40.9C (105.6F), while some coastal towns in Western Australia hit 49C.

In NSW, the heatwave is expected to peak on Saturday with Sydney facing a high of 42C while areas of South Australia and Western Australia will see temperatures over 40C in the coming days.

Friday will be the “real peak of the current burst of heat,” Angus Hines from the Bureau of Meteorology told the BBC.

“It will be a very hot day for almost all of South Australia, Victoria, most of New South Wales, parts of Tasmania”.

Wednesday was the first significant heatwave for Melbourne and Adelaide, where millions of people live, with fire conditions set to worsen on Friday, he said.

“Firstly, the winds are strengthening across Victoria tomorrow,” Hines said, adding that coupled with possible thunderstorms with little rain and dry lightning strikes, the fire danger will hit catastrophic levels for the northern parts of Victoria.

“This looks like the most significant event at a multi-day level for inland south-east Australia since 2019-2020,” Hines said.

That period six years ago saw Australia’s most severe fire season on record, the so-called Black Summer where dozens of people died and thousands of hectares of land was burnt.

In Victoria, authorities on Thursday warned that a catastrophic fire danger rating means potential blazes can be “unpredictable and uncontrollable”.

“We need the community to play their role alongside our emergency services to protect lives and property,” said Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch.

“Prepare now and enact your bushfire survival plan. If you are in an area of forecast catastrophic fire danger, leave early to an area with a lower fire risk.”

Australia’s fire danger ratings scale has four levels, with catastrophic being the highest level, followed by extreme, high and low.

A heatwave is declared when the minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to be unusually high for three days of more. (BBC)

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