The sun rises over Port Phillip Bay, Altona this morning. Picture: Nicole Garmston Source: HWT Image Library
Elise Armitage throws a snowball at Kate Price in Falls Creek this afternoon. Picture: Chris Hocking Source: Herald Sun
AUTHORITIES have scolded parents for putting their children at risk after seven were left locked in cars during yesterday's scorcher.
Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman Lauren Nowak said paramedics had responded to seven cases of children locked in vehicles as the temperatures tipped over 39C.
Two toddlers trapped in a vehicle in Greensborough during the morning caused concern, but all children were safely freed.
RACV road user behaviour manager Melinda Congiu said it was extremely disappointing motorists were failing to heed the message that locking children in cars was life-threatening.
"It can only take a few minutes for a child locked in a car with that temperature to become seriously ill or die due to heatstroke or dehydration," Ms Congiu said.
"Heat in cars can kill children three times more quickly than it would adults."
How the weather unfolded in Melbourne. Source: Herald Sun
RACV patrols have responded to more than 1134 call-outs relating to vulnerable young children, babies and animals locked in cars this year.
More than 25 people were also treated by paramedics after suffering heat-related illness in yesterday's sizzler as the temperature hit 39.6C in Melbourne.
Rural districts were placed on alert as firefighters around Victoria kept bushfires at bay amid record-breaking conditions.
Mildura readings soared to 45.5C and Ouyen reached 45.8C to set November records.
CFA spokesman Brett Boatman said extra fire-bombing aircraft were called in ahead of the danger season to cope with the threat of spreading fires.
"It's a timely reminder the peak of our fire season is not far around the corner," Mr Boatman said.
Dean Gruar, 4, and Claire Perry, 4, make a splash. Picture: David Caird Source: Herald Sun
He said the fire authority was gearing up for the busiest fire season in years.
It took 15 fire trucks and two aircraft to douse the worst blaze of the day near Baringhup West, southwest of Bendigo, after a grassfire ripped through 200ha.
The fire was controlled by 6.40pm, while earlier the southbound lane of the Hume Freeway was temporarily closed due to an encroaching grassfire near Locksley.
Schools took action to protect children from the heat, with Keilor Heights principal Nick Guilieri saying children were allowed 20 minutes in the sun and encouraged to drink lots of water.
But as thousands of people flocked to beaches, waterways and local pools, the forces of nature conspired against schoolies desperate to hit the surf in Torquay after a red algae outbreak forced the beach's closure temporarily.
Hundreds of sweltering residents endured power outages in Melbourne and in the state's northwest, with Victoria's power useage peaking at nearly 9500 megawatts at 5pm.
Storms were tipped to cross the state last night, helping to cool temperatures.
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