By Trendsetter Tribune 
Parts of Australia baked under near-record temperatures on Tuesday, with rural towns in Victoria edging close to 50°C as a relentless heat wave tightened its grip. Hopetoun and Walpeup both recorded preliminary highs of 48.9°C—numbers that could eclipse records set during the deadly 2009 Black Saturday bushfires.
While no deaths were reported, authorities warned residents to stay alert as several forest fires burned out of control. The heat was impossible to ignore in Melbourne, where soaring temperatures drained crowds from the Australian Open. What’s usually a buzzing scene around Melbourne Park thinned to near silence as fans chose safety over sport.
Inside the stadium, organizers activated extreme heat protocols, closing retractable roofs and postponing matches on uncovered courts. Players relied on ice packs and fans during breaks, photographers protected their gear from the scorching sun, and spectators clustered around misting fans or air-conditioned shelters.
Attendance dropped sharply—from about 50,000 the previous day to just over 21,000—as health warnings sank in. Relief may be on the way with cooler weather expected midweek, but forecasters say the broader heat wave could linger into the weekend, capping one of Australia’s hottest summers on record.