A bushfire is posing a serious threat to communities in the south-west region of Victoria, having breached its containment lines amid an ongoing heatwave that could set temperature records across the state.
On Saturday afternoon, an Emergency Warning was issued for the bushfire located at Carlisle River in the Otways. Residents in a dozen towns situated to the south of the fire, including Beech Forest, Carlisle River, Charleys Creek, Ferguson, Gellibrand, and Wyelangta, were instructed to seek shelter immediately. The warning emphasized, "This fire is threatening homes and lives. It is too late to leave the area safely, so you must take shelter now."
In addition, a separate "leave immediately" Emergency Warning was directed towards towns located to the east of the blaze, such as Barongarook.
According to David Nugent, a spokesperson for the State Control Centre, the fire, which ignited on January 10, took several days for firefighters to bring under control but has now moved beyond its containment lines on the southeast edge due to the combination of high temperatures and northwesterly winds. He remarked, "That fire is really quite active and dynamic now."
To combat the situation, additional aircraft and a large air-tanker have been dispatched in an effort to suppress the flames before a forecasted wind shift later in the day, which is expected to push the fire further east.
Lisa Agnew, the owner of Otway Blueberries, expressed a sense of foreboding as she described the atmosphere near the Gellibrand fire. "The sun has vanished behind the smoke, creating a peculiar yellow hue on the ground," she observed. Her business, located about 1.5 kilometers west of Gellibrand, has prepared a cool room to take refuge in should the fire approach, although her immediate concern lies with potential ember attacks. "We’ve got a firefighting unit ready; we’ll be moving around to extinguish any embers, but as of now, we can’t see anything like that," she noted.
Ms. Agnew reflected on the emotional toll of facing another fire crisis so soon after earlier incidents this month, stating, "We’re feeling a bit over it, to be honest; we were hoping it wouldn’t come to this."
Moreover, significant fires continue to rage in other parts of the state, including regions such as Longwood in central Victoria, Walwa in the north-east, Mallacoota, and Wonnangatta Valley in the east. Currently, Watch and Act warnings remain in effect for the Walwa and Wonnangatta Valley fires, which have not yet been contained.
Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch commented that while the current fire conditions are not as severe as those experienced on January 9, when approximately 400,000 hectares were engulfed by flames, there still exists a notable fire risk.
"We haven't encountered the harmful wind conditions coupled with these extreme heat levels seen across Victoria," he explained. "However, we still face extreme to high fire danger across vast areas of the state."
Wiebusch further noted that these conditions will exert pressure on the seven major fires currently active throughout Victoria in the upcoming days. In a positive development, 74 Canadian firefighters are set to arrive next Thursday to assist with these major fires. "That's a truly welcome additional support to bolster our crews and allow for some much-deserved rest for those who have been working tirelessly for over three weeks," he affirmed.
As for temperatures, Victoria is bracing for highs in the upper 30s and low 40s this Saturday, prompting a total fire ban to be enacted statewide. The Wimmera and South West districts are particularly vulnerable, with hot, windy weather contributing to extreme fire danger levels.
The total fire ban will also extend into Sunday for the Northern Country, North Central, North East, and East Gippsland fire districts. Wiebusch added that these oppressive heat conditions are expected to persist for the following week.
"The Bureau of Meteorology indicates that this might be the longest heatwave we've seen since 2009," he remarked. He further pointed out that while daytime temperatures will soar, many areas will experience overnight lows around 20 degrees Celsius, which combined can significantly strain the human body.
He advised residents to stay hydrated, consider visiting libraries or shopping centers to escape the heat, and exercise caution while swimming in Victoria’s beaches, lakes, and rivers.
As the state continues to recover from recent wildfires, which have now destroyed an estimated 1,500 structures, officials report that at least 434 homes have been lost and over 35,000 livestock have perished.
For the latest updates on fire warnings in Victoria, be sure to check the VicEmergency website.
