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Victorian bushfires: fire services warn against travel in ‘critical part of the day’ as extreme conditions develop Victorian bushfires: BoM warns of ‘erratic and dangerous’ conditions as Grampians fire sees emergency evacuations
(about 5 hours later)
Boxing Day evacuations in central and western Victoria with dangerous fire conditions due to move up to NSW – and SA on alert despite cool change Residents in some areas warned it is too late to leave as authorities brace for dangerous winds overnight
Authorities have been evacuating people from areas in central and western Victoria as dangerous fire conditions grip several states across the south-east. Victorians have been on high alert as the state faced one of its most dangerous fire days in years and firefighters worked to contain multiple blazes across the state in fierce conditions.
Damaging winds were due to fan extreme fire danger on Thursday as hot and dry weather envelops large parts of Victoria, south-west New South Wales and much of eastern South Australia. A flurry of emergency warnings urging people to leave immediately were issued across the state, particularly in areas near the Grampians fire, which has been raging for days.
Early on Thursday afternoon, Victoria state control centre spokesperson Luke Hegarty said the extreme fire conditions forecast were already starting to develop, with the potential for strong, gusty winds to start new fires, and spread existing ones towards communities not currently subject to warnings. “Weather conditions have changed. Winds have strengthened pushing the fire across control lines,” a VicEmergency warning late on Thursday afternoon said.
“This is a critical part of the day. If you don’t need to travel, please postpone your plans,” he said. Warnings telling people to leave immediately were issued for towns north of the national park from Pomonal to Ledcourt and in the east for areas surrounding Moyston, Strathmore and Willaura; as well as areas surrounding Maroona to Westmere, south of Ararat.
“Over the next few hours, we expect the northerly winds to continue to strengthen, which will mean that any fire that is burning will spread, and then we have the real risk later in the day, in the early evening through to night time when the southerly wind change will hit the state.” Alerts for other areas warned it was too late for residents to evacuate and they should shelter in place – those remaining in Mafeking, Bornes Hill and communities surrounding Halls Gap were told they had no option other than to stay inside.
At 11am AEDT, there were several fires burning in Victoria, including Grampians national park, Bullengarook, Creswick and at the Gurdies. Authorities expected those fires to grow on Thursday. “You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately,” authorities warned.
Hegarty urged residents in those areas to leave during the morning to protect themselves and their families. Smoke from the fires in the Grampians national park was likely to be visible across central Victoria and as far as Melbourne into Thursday evening, VicEmergency noted.
“You need to leave those areas. Move to somewhere else, somewhere safe. That is the way to protect yourself and your family.” Smoke may be visible across central Victoria, including Melbourne into the evening.The smoke is travelling from the current fires in the Grampians National Park.Only call Triple Zero (000) if you see flames or an unattended fire. pic.twitter.com/f684Sz4Agg
By Thursday afternoon, the Grampians fire had burnt through 55,000 hectares of land, causing “considerable environmental damage”, said emergency management commissioner, Rick Nugent, who warned that while no houses had been lost so far, he “wouldn’t be surprised” if there were residential losses as a result of this fire.
Damaging winds, and scorching temperatures across Victoria, fanned extreme fire danger on Thursday, with authorities warning that the dangerous fire conditions were likely to continue in Victoria until Saturday.
In the early afternoon, Nugent confirmed authorities reamined particularly concerned about four fires in Victoria: in the Grampians, Bullengarook, the Gurdies and Creswick.
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He said all residents in Victoria should be checking their fire plan, and to be prepared if a fire starts nearby. Earlier on Thursday, Victoria state control centre spokesperson Luke Hegarty said all residents in Victoria should be checking their fire plan, and to be prepared if a fire starts nearby.
“Know what you’re going to do if a fire starts. And if you’re planning on traveling today, reconsider your need to travel. This is not a day to be outside. This is not a day to be undertaking any sort of travel unless absolutely necessary.”“Know what you’re going to do if a fire starts. And if you’re planning on traveling today, reconsider your need to travel. This is not a day to be outside. This is not a day to be undertaking any sort of travel unless absolutely necessary.”
Victoria is preparing to face the most dangerous fire conditions since the 2019–20 Black Summer. Gusty winds were expected for much of the day, as well as on Friday and Saturday, exacerbating fire dangers across the state.
Temperatures were set to reach the high 30s and into the 40s for much of Victoria and inland Australia, with the central western Queensland town of Birdsville forecast to hit 47C.Temperatures were set to reach the high 30s and into the 40s for much of Victoria and inland Australia, with the central western Queensland town of Birdsville forecast to hit 47C.
Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, took to X with a blunt message:Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, took to X with a blunt message:
“The message couldn’t be clearer: today’s a day of total fire ban across Victoria. Don’t be a dickhead. No fires to be lit.”“The message couldn’t be clearer: today’s a day of total fire ban across Victoria. Don’t be a dickhead. No fires to be lit.”
Thursday’s conditions were expected to be “the worst since the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfire season”, Allan said.Thursday’s conditions were expected to be “the worst since the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfire season”, Allan said.
Gusts of up to 100km/h are strong enough to bring down trees and power lines and cause minor power outages, the Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Dean Narramore said.Gusts of up to 100km/h are strong enough to bring down trees and power lines and cause minor power outages, the Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Dean Narramore said.
A high-pressure trough which brought temperatures in the high 30s to South Australia on Christmas Day is slowly trekking across the border to Victoria. A high-pressure trough which brought temperatures in the high 30s to South Australia on Christmas Day was slowly trekking across the border to Victoria.
All but one region of Victoria was set to face extreme fire risk on Thursday. A statewide fire ban remained in place. All but one region of Victoria faced extreme fire risk on Thursday. A statewide fire ban remained in place. Total fire bans were also declared for South Australia’s mid north, Riverland, Murraylands, upper south east and lower south east regions. A total fire ban was put in place for the greater Sydney region, greater Hunter, Northern Slopes and north Western area in NSW was put in place for Friday.
Total fire bans were also declared for South Australia’s mid north, Riverland, Murraylands, upper south east and lower south east regions. A cool change was expected to wash over western Victoria on Thursday night. However, Narramore said the wind change from a strong northerly to a strong westerly would likely “lead to erratic and dangerous fire behaviour”.
The dangerous conditions could further fuel an out-of-control bushfire in Victoria’s Grampians national park which has been burning for days, covering more than 40,000 hectares. Incident controller Mark Gunning said the scenario could make the fires spread unpredictably.
Residents in the Grampians towns of Bornes Hill, Moyston and Pomonal were also ordered to leave on Wednesday as the blaze raced towards them. “As the wind goes across the ranges in the Grampians, it’ll make its own conditions,” he said.
Narramore said the combination of strong winds, high temperatures and dry air made for dangerous fire activity. Firefighters from multiple states deployed to help their Victorian counterparts as crews worked to secure containment lines on Boxing Day, with Victoria’s deputy premier Ben Carroll thanking those who gave up spending the Christmas break with family to travel to Victoria to assist.
“Any fire that does get going or already is ongoing around the Grampians will likely be uncontrollable and uncontainable, leading to dangerous and erratic fire behaviour,” he said.
Firefighters from multiple states deployed to help their Victorian counterparts as crews worked to secure containment lines on Boxing Day.
Power provider AusNet warned customers that power cuts could be triggered to prevent bushfires from starting and outages could last longer to ensure safety.Power provider AusNet warned customers that power cuts could be triggered to prevent bushfires from starting and outages could last longer to ensure safety.
A cool change was expected to wash over Victoria on Thursday night, as hot, dry and windy conditions pushed into parts of central north-eastern NSW, bringing extreme fire danger on Friday. In South Australia on Thursday afternoon, the cool change was sweeping through the state earlier than expected.
In South Australia on Thursday afternoon, a cool change was sweeping through the state earlier than expected.
Ann Letcher, state duty commander for the Country Fire Service (CFS), said while the cooler temperatures brought relief after a hot Christmas day and night, the elevated fire risk continued.Ann Letcher, state duty commander for the Country Fire Service (CFS), said while the cooler temperatures brought relief after a hot Christmas day and night, the elevated fire risk continued.
“Until those winds drop out, we’re not able to relax completely, and the community still needs to be taking care,” she said.“Until those winds drop out, we’re not able to relax completely, and the community still needs to be taking care,” she said.
Letcher said South Australia hadn’t seen a large number of incidents on Thursday, and a blaze that started yesterday in northern Adelaide was now mostly extinguished, but she reminded people to remain prepared. Letcher said South Australia hadn’t seen a large number of incidents on Thursday, and a blaze that started on Wednesday in northern Adelaide was now mostly extinguished, but she reminded people to remain prepared.
The CFS announced on Thursday morning a total fire ban for five regions: the Murrayland, Riverland, Mid North, as well as the upper and lower South East.
The CFS warned of “extreme conditions”, with temperatures remaining high across the state, particularly along the border with Victoria.
Australia’s land surface has warmed by 1.5C since 1910, the Bureau of Meteorology announced early this year, with the climate crisis fuelling more dangerous bushfire conditions due to increased temperatures and more frequent dry conditions.Australia’s land surface has warmed by 1.5C since 1910, the Bureau of Meteorology announced early this year, with the climate crisis fuelling more dangerous bushfire conditions due to increased temperatures and more frequent dry conditions.