December fires, rainfall, heat, potholes and cicadas – it’s summer news from Putty. The forecast is for hot days with a chance of thunderstorms.
Fires – Keep your matches in your pocket until April
During dry thunderstorms lightening strikes cause fires, so if you see smoke with no truck in attendance dial 000. Smoke from a back burn at Howes Valley has hung around Putty over the last couple of days.
Please download and check Hazards Near Me and create a watch zone. Being able to read what is going on nearby is important.
In December the Putty Rural Fire Brigade also attended fires that got away after a rubbish burn and a barbecue. The area around these fires had not been cleared prior to lighting the fires.
See Putty Alerts for the latest emergency information.
December 2024 Rainfall
December 2024 – 30mm
December 2023 – 92mm
December 10 year average – 92mm
Total 2024 – 852mm
Total 2023 – 646mm
Total 10 year average – 1001mm
Measured at 1943 Putty Valley Road.
2024 Temperatures
This summer the highest temperature recorded at 1943 Putty Valley Road was 41 degrees on a shaded verandah.
On the 30th December the UN secretary general, António Guterres said: “I can officially report that we have just endured a decade of deadly heat. The top 10 hottest years on record have happened in the last 10 years, including 2024.” (The Guardian)
Extreme heat conditions can cause power failures so unless you have a generator or solar power keeping cool will be difficult.
Prepare
Check fans and air-conditioner – clean AC filter
Make cool packs and ice cubes
Protect windows from direct sunlight with blinds or curtains
Act
Watch for signs of heat stress – headache, nausea, dizziness, thirst, fainting. Place wet towels over people with heat stress.
Drink plenty of cool water
Wear loose fitting clothing and a hat if going outside
Stay indoors during the middle of the day
Have a cool shower
Close doors and windows and draw curtains and blinds
Use air-conditioning
Pothole Research
Residents of the unsealed northern part of Putty Valley Road measured the depth of potholes on Boxing Day morning. The deepest pothole measured was 210mm – greater than the clearance of an average car.
Cicadas
Why cicadas are so loud this year? Check out this article in ABC News.
Cicada shell and remains of a cicada eaten by a bird.