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Victoria bushfires: Grampians national park remains closed as hundreds of firefighters battle blaze Victoria bushfires: statewide fire ban for Boxing Day as hundreds of firefighters battle Grampians blaze
(about 2 hours later)
Holiday travellers warned to keep up to date with weather conditions as several states face growing risk of blazes Conditions to intensify in Victoria and South Australia, with temperatures forecast to climb towards 40C and strong wind gusts up to 100km/h
Residents near bushfires raging in Victoria’s west have been given a two-hour window to return to collect their belongings before Christmas. A statewide total fire ban in Victoria has been declared for 26 December as authorities prepare for hot, gusty, extreme conditions on Boxing Day.
A police roadblock at the junction between Grampians Road and Ararat-Halls Gap Road was to be opened between 10am and noon on Christmas Eve. The declaration comes as a fire rips through the Grampians, engulfing over 43,000 hectares and burning for days. Conditions are set to intensify over the coming days, with temperatures forecast to climb to 40C in the Wimmera region on Thursday.
Proof of residence would be needed to access the areas, which have been engulfed by a 41,000-hectare inferno for the past week. Forecast winds of 80km/h to 90km/h on Boxing Day, with potential 100km/h gusts on elevated parts of the western regions, are a major concern for firefighters.
The Country Fire Authority (CFA) chief officer, Jason Heffernan, said the temporary access was being offered to help provide some festive normality for locals. Bushfire conditions are set to intensify in South Australia. The Bureau of Meteorology has warned residents in SA to prepare for hot and windy conditions. There will be a total fire ban in the Mount Lofty Ranges from midnight.
Victoria’s country fire authority (CFA) chief officer, Jason Heffernan, has warned that any fire starting, or escaping containment lines, on Thursday was expected to move “very very quickly”.
Heffernan said the window for Halls Gap residents to return has now been closed off, with evacuations finalised. Others in bushland areas were being urged to prepare by maintaining lawns and trimming overhanging branches.
“I know it’s probably not the thing you want to be doing at Christmas,” he said. “But hey, if you’ve got family and friends coming around for Christmas lunch, perhaps put them to work in the afternoon preparing your property.”
The blaze in the western Victoria’s Grampians national park is expected to burn for weeks.
Heffernan also encouraged people to have conversations with any visitors about their bushfire survival plan.
Despite light rainfall and extensive preparation and containment efforts, authorities expected 144 hectares to be alight heading into Boxing Day, Heffernan said.
“We’ve enjoyed two days of fairly benign weather across the fire grounds, which has really allowed firefighters and local land holders, particularly in the Grampians region, to consolidate containment lines, make preparations, put further containment lines in the landscape, in readiness for what will be a very challenging day for firefighters tomorrow”
The lack of rain in winter and spring has left large parts of the state, particularly bushland areas, exceptionally dry.
Earlier on Tuesday residents near the Grampians fire were given a two-hour window to return to collect their belongings before Christmas.
A police roadblock at the junction between Grampians Road and Ararat-Halls Gap Road was opened between 10am and noon on Tuesday.
Proof of residence was needed to access the areas, which have been engulfed by a 41,000-hectare inferno for the past week.
Heffernan, said the temporary access was being offered to help provide some festive normality for locals.
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“In what I’m calling Operation Yuletide, we are allowing the residents under emergency services escort back into their properties … to get Christmas items … presents and the like,” he told Seven’s Sunrise program on Tuesday. “In what I’m calling Operation Yuletide, we are allowing the residents under emergency services escort back into their properties … to get Christmas items … presents and the like,” he told Seven’s Sunrise program earlier on Tuesday.
“[This is] to ensure if the residents of Halls Gap will be relocated for Christmas, at least they will have what they need.”“[This is] to ensure if the residents of Halls Gap will be relocated for Christmas, at least they will have what they need.”
Heffernan said cooler, milder conditions on Monday night had helped firefighters on the ground in getting “some containment” of the southern Grampians fire.Heffernan said cooler, milder conditions on Monday night had helped firefighters on the ground in getting “some containment” of the southern Grampians fire.
At 12 noon AEDT, the CFA currently had four watch and act warnings for fires across the state, including Bellfield, Lake Fyans, Barton and Londonberry. Sign up to Breaking News Australia
Another bushfire at Bullengarook in Melbourne’s north-west had been contained. A blaze at the Gurdies in western Gippsland had burned through 43,000 hectares, and continued to burn, heading north. Get the most important news as it breaks
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At noon AEDT, the CFA currently had four watch and act warnings for fires across the state, including Bellfield, Lake Fyans, Barton and Londonberry.
Another bushfire at Bullengarook in Melbourne’s north-west had been contained. The blaze at the Gurdies in western Gippsland had burned through 43,000 hectares, and continued to burn, heading north.
The Grampians national park remained closed as over 600 firefighters and 100 vehicles battled the out-of-control fire.The Grampians national park remained closed as over 600 firefighters and 100 vehicles battled the out-of-control fire.
The CFA had issued three “stay informed” warnings, for Willaura, Lake Lonsdale and Bullengarook.The CFA had issued three “stay informed” warnings, for Willaura, Lake Lonsdale and Bullengarook.
The CFA were expecting more than 100 personnel to arrive in the coming days, with more extreme conditions forecast for the rest of the week.The CFA were expecting more than 100 personnel to arrive in the coming days, with more extreme conditions forecast for the rest of the week.
Holiday travellers were being warned to keep up to date with fire conditions as several states face growing bushfire risks.Holiday travellers were being warned to keep up to date with fire conditions as several states face growing bushfire risks.
Conditions were set to intensify across the state when temperatures reached into 40C on Boxing Day, fanned by strong and dry winds, according to the Victorian emergency management commissioner, Rick Nugent.
“We have some very difficult weather conditions on Thursday and Friday,” he said. “These conditions will make it far easier for fires to start and to spread and for existing fires to race off in the direction of the wind.”
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Much of the state will be facing moderate fire danger on Christmas, rising to extreme fire danger on Thursday.
In New South Wales, several small bush and grass fires continued to burn but remained under control, though a significant part of the state faced high fire dangers on Boxing Day.In New South Wales, several small bush and grass fires continued to burn but remained under control, though a significant part of the state faced high fire dangers on Boxing Day.
South Australian firefighters urged residents to leave in the Onkaparinga Hills in the Mount Lofty Ranges as they battled an out-of-control bushfire on Monday.South Australian firefighters urged residents to leave in the Onkaparinga Hills in the Mount Lofty Ranges as they battled an out-of-control bushfire on Monday.
They later downgraded warnings, telling residents to monitor conditions.
Regional areas across South Australia are expecting hot conditions on Boxing Day, with Adelaide facing a peak of 36C after a predicted 37C on Christmas Day.Regional areas across South Australia are expecting hot conditions on Boxing Day, with Adelaide facing a peak of 36C after a predicted 37C on Christmas Day.
Firefighters in Western Australia on Monday night upgraded a bushfire alert, warning residents it was “too late to leave” as a blaze intensified about 100km north-east of Perth, near the wheatbelt town of Northam. Firefighters in Western Australia on Monday night upgraded a bushfire alert, warning residents it was “too late to leave” as a blaze intensified about 100km north-east of Perth, near the wheat belt town of Northam.
The fires burning across Victoria have the potential to worsen when extreme hot weather blankets most of the state on Thursday, leading to authorities pleading with travellers to reconsider their trips. With Australian Associated Press
“Our state will have all areas … in extreme fire danger rating, except for East Gippsland on Thursday,” Nugent said.
About 100 fire personnel from NSW, the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland and Tasmania were heading to Victoria to help battle the blazes.