Seeking shade: Arnold Hennel and Lil Breading take refuge from the sun at the Brighton beach boxes yesterday. Picture: Ian Currie Source: Herald Sun
VICTORIA'S heatwave is set to melt away an 18-year record with the next two days set to top 36C, as wind changes predicted for the state have firefighters on alert.
The sweaty nights will continue until at least Wednesday when a cool change is forecast to sweep through in the mid-afternoon.
The last time Victoria sweltered through seven consecutive days above 30C was in 1985, and that was equalled yesterday with a top of 35C.
Temperatures today and tomorrow are set to peak at 36C, which would set a new record of nine consecutive days above 30C.
Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Michael Efron said the state should brace itself for more hot days despite summer being over.
Relief should arrive on Wednesday, with temperatures to drop to the 20s after reaching 33C.
Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said the wind change following a prolonged period of heat marked Wednesday as a "day of note" for firefighters.
"A change day means we've got the northerlies coming in, they move around to the southwest, so if you have fires running at the time you lose a lot of ground," Mr Lapsley told 3AW radio today.
Temperatures today and tomorrow are set to peak at 36C, which would set a new record of nine consecutive days above 30C.
"The winds are the key issues now."
Mr Lapsley said wind speeds would be about 40-50km/h but it would still be a day of note.
"February we had hot days but we didn't have any extremely windy days so we just need to be a bit careful on Wednesday," he said.
Arson is continuing to be a problem for authorities and is the suspected cause of a series of fires in Melbourne's outer southeast on Saturday, Mr Lapsley said.
He said police are investigating the fires in the Berwick and Cranbourne area which began off the side of the road.
"Just after lunchtime on Saturday there was a whole run of fires, (there) would have been about three, four fires that ran right behind each other," he said.
"You would suggest it was someone in a vehicle starting from the side of the road. Definitely the human hand is having a play with fire yet again and we certainly don't want that, so people need to stay vigilant."
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