Extreme Heat and Catastrophic Fire Conditions Bring Victorian Trail Running to a Pause

As extreme heat and elevated fire danger grip large parts of Victoria this week, including the Grampians National Park and surrounding areas, trail runners are rethinking plans and seeing race events cancelled.

National parks and forested areas are particularly vulnerable during prolonged heatwaves. When temperatures climb, and winds increase, the risk shifts quickly from annoyingly uncomfortable to unsafe, especially in remote trail environments where access, communications and emergency response can be limited.

For runners, this isn’t just about managing the heat. It’s about understanding when the conditions move beyond acceptable risk.

Events cancelled, plans disrupted

The current conditions have already led to the cancellation of organised running events, including the Lorne Mountain to Surf run, a long-standing summer fixture on the Victorian calendar.

The event organisers stated via Instagram that forecast dry lightning, increased fire risk and the closure of the Great Otways National Park for 24 hours by Parks Victoria, has forced the cancellation of the 2026 Powercor Lorne Mountain to Surf run. This is significant given the 40-year history of the event.

While disappointing, these decisions reflect the reality of running during periods of extreme heat and fire danger. Event organisers have to balance participant safety, emergency service capacity, and the unpredictability of weather conditions — particularly in coastal and forested regions where fires can escalate rapidly and without much warning.

A reminder from the past

Australia has seen what happens when endurance sport and extreme fire conditions collide.

In 2011, the Kimberley Ultramarathon was struck by a devastating fast-moving grassfire. Several runners were caught in an almost inescapable location on the course, with two athletes suffering life-changing severe burns, including Turia Pitt.

While other factors may have contributed to that particular incident, such as the adequacy of warnings, precautions and safety measures by event organisers, it remains a sobering example of how quickly fire conditions can escalate in remote Australian environments.

Choose caution

Extreme heat and fire risk aren’t abstract threats. They’re real, evolving hazards that deserve attention and respect. Trail runners pride themselves on pushing through, resilience and adaptability, but good judgment is part of that skill set. Adjusting plans, skipping a run or changing goals in response to information about environmental conditions is part of who we are. It’s just plain old common sense.

The lesson for today isn’t about fear, but respect for unsafe conditions. Stay informed by checking in with authorities and stay safe until the trails can be enjoyed safely again.

For a list of the impacted national parks and forests, head to parks.vic.gov.au and ffm.vic.gov.au/closures-of-parks-and-forests.