THE Wimmera has braced itself for a scorcher today as temperatures are set to soar to the mid-40s.
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The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast a top of 45 degrees for Warracknabeal, 44 for Horsham and 43 for Nhill and slightly cooler 37 degrees for Edenhope.
Temperatures will become more bearable on Saturday.
District 17 operations officer Lindsay Barry said residents must remember to look after themselves, the elderly and young people as the heat rises during the day.
“My key message would be to stay hydrated, keep out the heat, and check on neighbours, elderly and young children,” he said.
“It is important that people know their fire plan and it’s well-practiced. Stay informed and maintain contact with emergency services.”
Mr Barry said the fire authority was prepared for the conditions and the incident control centre would be staffed in case of fire dangers.
Ambulance Victoria’s senior team manager Paul Burton said extreme heat kills more Australians than any other natural disaster. He shared six tips to stay safe on an unbearable day like today.
“Drink plenty of water, never leave children, adults or pets in the car, schedule activities in the coolest part of the day, check on others and keep cool,” he said.
In preparation of the heat, air-conditioners are most likely to run non-stop.
Horsham’s Hopper Electrics’ Jenny Hopper said she expected many calls about broken air-conditioners throughout the day.
In the lead up to summer, Mrs Hopper said the business had a few jobs for air-conditioner services. But, she said it was “quite common” for people to wait until the air-conditioner was broken to call for an electrician.
Horsham Aquatic Centre manger Mark Meyer said the outdoor pool operating hours have extended to 8pm for those wanting to cool down.
“People should take the opportunity to cool off from the heat, but they need to remember to slip, slop, slap,” he said.
“There’s a point when it gets too hot so people stay indoors, but once the sun goes down, numbers at the pool goes up.”
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