Heatwave conditions

Today is forecast to be the last in the four days of above 40 degree heat.
The cool change has been forecast to arrive approx 8 pm, late enough for us to easily reach 44 degrees.
I have been amazed at how well my garden has survived.
Last year one day of +40 degree heat saw one of my silver birch trees frizzle and drop all their leaves. The tree only recovered this spring.

Given that all three of my beautiful silver birch trees are looking ok after four days of searing heat makes me aware of how the soil and wind conditions matter.
This spring has been wet, with 2011 & 2013 also being wet. Obviously the water table underground is a lot healthier than in the previous 15 years of drought conditions. I can see this with the crack in the garage wall now closed when previously it was several cm's wide.
I have also been watering the tree regularly (which makes me suspect that last year it wasn't watered enough when I was on holiday!).

The other difference is the wind.
Over the last three days (and even now) we have had a gentle, though very hot breeze.

My memory of Black Saturday in 2009 is a searing gale. My friend celebrated her 60th Birthday inside a small Melbourne terrace house, instead of outside in the park. When driving back home we were aware not only of the strong gusty change but also of the fires at Seymour, Marysville and Churchill areas.

Currently, our Emergency personnel are battling lots of smaller fires in exceedingly difficult conditions. But fortunately, not the catastrophic conditions of 2009. I hope for all our sakes it doesn't get that way when the change arrives tonight.
But hats off to all those people working in the front-line. Fire brigade and volunteers, police, doctors & nurses, ambulance people. They do a great job and I'm deeply appreciative.
All public servants too!
Try this heatwave tracker animation from the ABC

Heatwave and chaos

Melbourne's latest heatwave caused chaos in the city. Trains were cancelled, power went out throughout the city, people went crazy from the heat as well as the normal pressures of life.
We were exceedingly fortunate. With newly installed ceiling fans, closed blinds and wet T-shirts we were able to keep the house to an almost reasonable 31 degrees on the last 45 degree Celsius day.
My poor garden was not so lucky. Now the silver birch tree has dropped many of its leaves following a severe burn. Many other deciduous trees in the local streets are also brown and the drift of leaves in the hot winds adds to the feeling of extreme heat stress.
My water tanks are nearly empty after 30 odd days without rain. However, the tomatoes have survived (with sunburn) and also the sweet corn. So far the Camellias look okay but the Correa groundcover has nothing but crisped branchlets.

Oh I wish for the money to invest in photovoltaic panels to hook up to an air conditioner!!! Then we wouldn't have to worry so much about extreme heat and power blackouts. My house is designed to be more passive solar with eaves that keep the sun off the windows in summer.

A big cheer also to various emergency services people who were slaving in the heat to douse fires nearby, fix broken traffic lights (bad accident) and various other life saving events.