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| Victoria bushfires: thunderstorms forecast as South Gippsland fire downgraded | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A fire burning near seaside towns in Victoria has been brought under control. | |
| The Country Fire Authority downgraded an emergency warning to a watch and act message for Cape Paterson, Harmers Haven and Wonthaggi on Saturday afternoon. | |
| But two other fires in central Victoria were added to the watch and act alert list: one near Scotsburn and one at South Morang. | |
| “There’s a fire to the northwest corner of Meredith that is burning in open country and will be fanned by very strong winds, very strong winds,” the emergency management commissioner, Craig Lapsley, told reporters on Saturday afternoon. | |
| The small scrub and grassfire is not yet under control is travelling fast in a southerly direction from Finns Rd, Scotsburn. | |
| Firefighters stopped the spread of the Wonthaggi grassfire in at Tank Hill, near Longwall Court. | |
| “While the immediate threat has passed, leaving now is the safest option, as conditions may change again suddenly,” the CFA said. | |
| Residents were reminded to stay vigilant and monitor conditions. | |
| Victoria was enduring one of its worst fire days of summer, with temperatures reaching 40C before noon. Several serious fires are burning across the state on a day when temperatures were forecast to reach 44C. | |
| CFA spokesman Graeme Baxter said winds had picked up across the state and a severe thunderstorm warning for later in the day was expected to bring lightning with very little rain. | |
| “The anxiety around that is that we will actually have lightning strikes which may ignite other fires so it’s important that other people follow the total fire bans we have across the state,” Baxter told ABC News 24. | “The anxiety around that is that we will actually have lightning strikes which may ignite other fires so it’s important that other people follow the total fire bans we have across the state,” Baxter told ABC News 24. |
| “We’ve still got some pretty turbulent fire conditions ahead of us.” | “We’ve still got some pretty turbulent fire conditions ahead of us.” |
| Police have arrested a man over one of the fires, in the outer Melbourne suburb of Epping. | Police have arrested a man over one of the fires, in the outer Melbourne suburb of Epping. |
| A 34-year-old man was arrested in Vearings Road, Epping, about 12.50pm and was assisting police with their inquiries. | A 34-year-old man was arrested in Vearings Road, Epping, about 12.50pm and was assisting police with their inquiries. |
| The fire started in grassland along the Hume Freeway and Cooper Street about 10.15am. | The fire started in grassland along the Hume Freeway and Cooper Street about 10.15am. |
| No one was injured in the blaze and no properties were damaged. | No one was injured in the blaze and no properties were damaged. |
| Residents in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges in Victoria were earlier told it was too late to leave as a fire rages through the area, however the fire has since been contained. | Residents in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges in Victoria were earlier told it was too late to leave as a fire rages through the area, however the fire has since been contained. |
| The state’s emergency management commissioner, Craig Lapsley, said the fire was burning above Montrose and plenty of crews were on their way to battle the blaze. | The state’s emergency management commissioner, Craig Lapsley, said the fire was burning above Montrose and plenty of crews were on their way to battle the blaze. |
| “That’s in difficult country, helicopters and fire trucks are on their way now,” he told 3AW on Saturday. | “That’s in difficult country, helicopters and fire trucks are on their way now,” he told 3AW on Saturday. |
| “I think that’s going to be our afternoon, it’s hot, windy, everything that was predicted.” | “I think that’s going to be our afternoon, it’s hot, windy, everything that was predicted.” |
| Wandin North resident Brenny Cullen said he could see waterbombers fighting the fire from his home. | Wandin North resident Brenny Cullen said he could see waterbombers fighting the fire from his home. |
| “We’re about 500 metres from the fire and I can see exactly where it is,” Mr Cullen said. “There is a lot of smoke, it’s a grass fire, but lots of firefighters are around.” | “We’re about 500 metres from the fire and I can see exactly where it is,” Mr Cullen said. “There is a lot of smoke, it’s a grass fire, but lots of firefighters are around.” |
| Strong wind gusts up to 80km/h are also expected to make firefighters’ jobs difficult in dry conditions. | Strong wind gusts up to 80km/h are also expected to make firefighters’ jobs difficult in dry conditions. |
| Lapsley said while conditions weren’t the same as Black Saturday, it had been dry for months and drought-like conditions were visible across most of the state. | Lapsley said while conditions weren’t the same as Black Saturday, it had been dry for months and drought-like conditions were visible across most of the state. |
| A total fire ban has been declared for Victoria on Saturday and Sunday. | A total fire ban has been declared for Victoria on Saturday and Sunday. |
| A fast-moving, out-of-control fire has reportedly destroyed at least one shed and is threatening homes and businesses on Melbourne’s outskirts. | A fast-moving, out-of-control fire has reportedly destroyed at least one shed and is threatening homes and businesses on Melbourne’s outskirts. |
| Related: Melbourne braces for heatwave as temperatures could hit 40C on Saturday | Related: Melbourne braces for heatwave as temperatures could hit 40C on Saturday |
| The CFA issued a watch and act message for the Epping area on Saturday morning. | The CFA issued a watch and act message for the Epping area on Saturday morning. |
| “There is a medium 5ha grassfire travelling fast in a southerly direction from Harvest Home Road towards O’Hearns Road, Epping,” the CFA said in a statement. | “There is a medium 5ha grassfire travelling fast in a southerly direction from Harvest Home Road towards O’Hearns Road, Epping,” the CFA said in a statement. |
| A spokesperson from the State Control Centre said there was a lot of smoke in the area and five firefighting aircraft are helping fire crews on the ground douse the flames. | A spokesperson from the State Control Centre said there was a lot of smoke in the area and five firefighting aircraft are helping fire crews on the ground douse the flames. |
| Residents were warned that conditions were changing and were told to enact their fire plans. | Residents were warned that conditions were changing and were told to enact their fire plans. |
| Firefighters were unable to stop the fire and it has now crossed O’Hearns Road and is travelling in a southerly direction and is impacting on Cooper Street. The area is close to factories and a hospital. | Firefighters were unable to stop the fire and it has now crossed O’Hearns Road and is travelling in a southerly direction and is impacting on Cooper Street. The area is close to factories and a hospital. |
| Seven News reported one property structure had been destroyed. | Seven News reported one property structure had been destroyed. |
| The Hume Freeway and Cooper Street have been closed due to the fire. | The Hume Freeway and Cooper Street have been closed due to the fire. |
| Out of control fires were also keeping South Australian firefighters busy as they braced for more extreme temperatures on Saturday. | Out of control fires were also keeping South Australian firefighters busy as they braced for more extreme temperatures on Saturday. |
| The CFS issued advice warnings for Waltowa and Campoona. | The CFS issued advice warnings for Waltowa and Campoona. |
| Smoke is visible in nearby areas and residents were advised to close all doors and windows and enact their fire plans. | Smoke is visible in nearby areas and residents were advised to close all doors and windows and enact their fire plans. |
| South Australia remains in the grip of a week-long heatwave. | South Australia remains in the grip of a week-long heatwave. |
| Maximum temperatures in Adelaide have topped 40C for the past three days and the extreme conditions were forecast to peak on Saturday with the city tipped to have a top temperature of 44C. | Maximum temperatures in Adelaide have topped 40C for the past three days and the extreme conditions were forecast to peak on Saturday with the city tipped to have a top temperature of 44C. |
| The bushfire risk is also rising as winds increase ahead of a cooler change on Saturday night. | The bushfire risk is also rising as winds increase ahead of a cooler change on Saturday night. |
| Strike teams of firefighters have been deployed to high-risk hot spots across Tasmania after authorities imposed fire bans across the state. | Strike teams of firefighters have been deployed to high-risk hot spots across Tasmania after authorities imposed fire bans across the state. |
| North and south regions of the island are subject to the bans for both Saturday and Sunday with hot and dry conditions forecast. | North and south regions of the island are subject to the bans for both Saturday and Sunday with hot and dry conditions forecast. |
| “There’s some hot weather coming over the weekend with some accompanying winds and the fire danger in some areas is going to be very high to severe,” Tasmania Fire Service chief Gavin Freeman told reporters on Friday. | “There’s some hot weather coming over the weekend with some accompanying winds and the fire danger in some areas is going to be very high to severe,” Tasmania Fire Service chief Gavin Freeman told reporters on Friday. |
| Temperatures in some parts of Tasmania are expected to reach more than 30C on Saturday, with the heat pushing past 40C on Sunday in the north of the state. | Temperatures in some parts of Tasmania are expected to reach more than 30C on Saturday, with the heat pushing past 40C on Sunday in the north of the state. |
| Related: How to cope with a heatwave | Related: How to cope with a heatwave |
| “The grass and fire fuels are curing fairly rapidly so those conditions will carry fire,” Freeman said. “Under the weather that we’ve got available this weekend fire will develop quickly and spread rapidly.” | “The grass and fire fuels are curing fairly rapidly so those conditions will carry fire,” Freeman said. “Under the weather that we’ve got available this weekend fire will develop quickly and spread rapidly.” |
| A bushfire burning near the state’s central Arthurs Lake district since Wednesday was stopped by crews on Friday and Freeman said a couple of other small blazes were expected be extinguished quickly. | A bushfire burning near the state’s central Arthurs Lake district since Wednesday was stopped by crews on Friday and Freeman said a couple of other small blazes were expected be extinguished quickly. |
| As a precaution, the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service has closed walking tracks for the weekend in some national parks, including at Freycinet and Douglas-Apsley on the east coast. | As a precaution, the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service has closed walking tracks for the weekend in some national parks, including at Freycinet and Douglas-Apsley on the east coast. |