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MELBOURNE: The warning was issued in advance: Today in Victoria is going to be a stinker and emergency services will have their hands full coping with casualties from the heat.
State Premier John Brumby said it would be the "worst day in the history of the state".
He told the Age newspaper that with temperatures set to soar to the mid-40s throughout Victoria, the conditions were worse than those that preceded the devastating bushfires of Ash Wednesday or Black Friday.
"It's just as bad a day as you can imagine and on top of that the state is just tinder-dry. People need to exercise real common sense tomorrow," he told the newspaper.
"If you don't need to go out, don't go out, it's a seriously bad day. If you don't need to travel, don't travel.
"Don't go on the roads. If you don't need to use the public transport system, don't use it. If you can stay at home, stay at home."
Emergency workers say elderly, frail and sick people and young hospitality workers are among the most vulnerable to heat stress with the mercury forecast to soar to 43C and as high as 46C in Mildura.
While Victorians were also warned to watch their water use, after daily consumption rose to 241 litres per person during last week's heatwave, the state Government urged people to prioritise their health and wellbeing with water consumption tipped to be higher than normal.
The weather event caused a massive jump from the average 172 litres used since the state Government's Target 155 campaign was launched in November.
Water Minister Tim Holding said while reducing consumption and watching outdoor water use was important, people should put their health first during the anticipated extreme conditions.
"People need to obviously run their air conditioning and look after their health and wellbeing, they need to remain well hydrated," he said.
Victoria's chief health officer John Carnie urged communities and carers to check on vulnerable people.
"Those most at risk are people over 65 years, particularly those living alone without air conditioning, infants, pregnant women and nursing mothers, people who are unwell, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure and people on medications for mental illness," Dr Carnie said.
"Evidence has shown that excess mortality amongst the elderly population occurs when extremely hot days are followed by high overnight temperatures.
WorkSafe executive director John Merritt said employers had a legal responsibility to monitor the health of their workers, some of whom included young workers who comprised a high proportion of the weekend workforce and who may attempt to "tough it out".
Today's forecast also hit horseracing in Victoria, with the Orr Stakes Day races at Caulfield and the Marong Cup near Bendigo moved to tomorrow with predicted cooler temperatures.
- AAP
