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Victoria fires live: nine emergency warnings in place for East Gippsland bushfires – latest Victoria fires live: 10 emergency warnings in place for Victorian bushfires – latest
(32 minutes later)
Vic Emergency has ordered the mass evacuation of a vast area, with catastrophic conditions also forecast for South Australia. Follow latest news and live updatesVic Emergency has ordered the mass evacuation of a vast area, with catastrophic conditions also forecast for South Australia. Follow latest news and live updates
Water bombers have been deployed in Bundoora in Melbourne.
An emergency warning has been issued for Bundoora, Greensborough and Mill Park in the suburbs of Melbourne
The fire is threatening homes and lives.
“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive”, the CFA says. “The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately. It is too late to leave”.
“This message is for people at North of Metropolitan Ring Road between Scholar Drive And Booyan Court. There is a bushfire at Jubilee Cr, Mill Park that is not yet under control.
“The bushfire is travelling from Jubilee Crescent in a southerly direction towards Cloverton Way. The fire started near Cloverton Way in Bundoora.”
Andrew Crisp, the Victorian emergency management commissioner, says a “lot of people” stayed at Lakes Entrance.
“On the other hand, we know there was quite long streams of traffic leaving East Gippsland yesterday afternoon and into the evening,” he adds.
He also says “these aren’t the last of the warnings we’ll see today. There’ll be more coming out.”
Outside of East Gippsland, the major concerns for authorities are the fire at Lexton, west of Avoca, and the two in the Plenty Gorge, he says.
Victorian emergency services minister Lisa Neville says it is likely that the Princes Highway “will fully close at some point to Bairnsdale right through to Mallacoota”.
“This is a warning to all Victorians,” she says. “This is not yet over ... we’re really only halfway through what is ahead of us here today.”
“We’re seeing a different kind of thunderstorm,” says Andrew Tupper from the Bureau of Meteorology. These are known as pyro-cumulonimbus – which basically means a fire-generated thunderstorm.
“The way that they work is basically the fires give them an extra push in conditions that would normally be suitable, or marginally suitable, for thunderstorms. As they give them that push, the thunderstorms can develop more rapidly than they normally would.
“They carry fire embers aloft, which can help the spread of those fires, accelerate the spread of those fires, they can push those embers down with the severe wind gusts that the thunderstorms generate. And overall they can greatly contribute to unexpected fire spread in unexpected directions.”
Conditions are so dangerous, the fires are generating lightning, the CFA says.
“The fire that started yesterday afternoon near Mallacoota is an excellent example about the fire behaviour that we’ve seen.
“So a fire that started mid to late afternoon, started to move towards the Princes Highway. The wind changed direction and, within four or five hours, that fire travelled all the way to the coast – about 24km.
“It put up a column, punching into the atmosphere 14km high. We recently looked at the columns, and they’re generating their own weather. There’s lightning coming out of these columns. It is unpredictable, it’s dangerous out there.”
Another press conference in Victoria.Another press conference in Victoria.
“You should not be on the roads” in East Gippsland, authorities say.“You should not be on the roads” in East Gippsland, authorities say.
“We have the W Tree fire running towards the coast and we believe it could impact on the Princes Highway between 5pm and 7pm this evening.“We have the W Tree fire running towards the coast and we believe it could impact on the Princes Highway between 5pm and 7pm this evening.
“We have been telling people for more than 24 hours East Gippsland is at significant risk in relation to fire. Earlier today, we changed our messaging to say that you should not be on the roads.“We have been telling people for more than 24 hours East Gippsland is at significant risk in relation to fire. Earlier today, we changed our messaging to say that you should not be on the roads.
“You need to follow, very, very closely, the instructions in those warnings. With those emergency warnings, a lot will say “Shelter in place” but, at times, they will give you options of how you might be able to get out of that particular area.”“You need to follow, very, very closely, the instructions in those warnings. With those emergency warnings, a lot will say “Shelter in place” but, at times, they will give you options of how you might be able to get out of that particular area.”
Another emergency warning has been issued for Burrowye, Cudgewa, Cudgewa North, Guys Forest, Mount Alfred, Pine Mountain, Tintaldra, Walwa.Another emergency warning has been issued for Burrowye, Cudgewa, Cudgewa North, Guys Forest, Mount Alfred, Pine Mountain, Tintaldra, Walwa.
This fire is further away from the other eight fires in East Gippsland.This fire is further away from the other eight fires in East Gippsland.
The fire is 13km west-north-west of Walwa, travelling in a south-easterly direction towards Walwa.The fire is 13km west-north-west of Walwa, travelling in a south-easterly direction towards Walwa.
This bushfire could impact Walwa and surrounding towns any time in the next one hour.This bushfire could impact Walwa and surrounding towns any time in the next one hour.
Murray River will be closed between Walwa and Burrowye.Murray River will be closed between Walwa and Burrowye.
“Leaving now is the safest option, before conditions become too dangerous,” the CFA says. “Emergency Services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay.”“Leaving now is the safest option, before conditions become too dangerous,” the CFA says. “Emergency Services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay.”
And an update on the emergency warning for Goongerah, Martins Creek, Nurran, Sardine Creek and Errinundra.And an update on the emergency warning for Goongerah, Martins Creek, Nurran, Sardine Creek and Errinundra.
The fire is now impacting private property, according to the CFA.The fire is now impacting private property, according to the CFA.
Meanwhile in NSW.Meanwhile in NSW.
Another emergency fire in Victoria – taking the count to eight right now.Another emergency fire in Victoria – taking the count to eight right now.
The new warning is for Bruthen, Bullumwaal, Clifton Creek, Deptford, Fairhope, Fairy Dell, Granite Rock, Mossiface, Mount Taylor, Sarsfield, Waterholes.The new warning is for Bruthen, Bullumwaal, Clifton Creek, Deptford, Fairhope, Fairy Dell, Granite Rock, Mossiface, Mount Taylor, Sarsfield, Waterholes.
“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately. It is too late to leave.”“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately. It is too late to leave.”
At the same time, in NSW, an emergency warning has been issued for Dunns Road.At the same time, in NSW, an emergency warning has been issued for Dunns Road.
From Tasmania:From Tasmania:
“There is another lightning storm forecast to come across today. It has a very serious, very serious risk of starting fires. We are concerned that the lightning ignitions will give us a lot of problems going forward.”“There is another lightning storm forecast to come across today. It has a very serious, very serious risk of starting fires. We are concerned that the lightning ignitions will give us a lot of problems going forward.”
New fires should be reported via 000.New fires should be reported via 000.
Tasmanian fire authorities are also speaking now.Tasmanian fire authorities are also speaking now.
In Strathgordon, an emergency alert has been issued for travellers and tourists, but not for residents.In Strathgordon, an emergency alert has been issued for travellers and tourists, but not for residents.
The fire remains at watch and act for residents. The two should not be confused, the TFS says.The fire remains at watch and act for residents. The two should not be confused, the TFS says.
During that press conference, an emergency warning was also issued in South Australia for an area near the Playford Highway on Kangaroo Island. But that was downgraded to watch and act a few minutes ago.During that press conference, an emergency warning was also issued in South Australia for an area near the Playford Highway on Kangaroo Island. But that was downgraded to watch and act a few minutes ago.
It will take “weeks or months” for the fires to be put out, the CFA says.
“At this stage, substantial rain is what is required to bring these to a halt.” That is not forecast in the near future.
“I think anyone now in Gippsland, who are seeing the columns out there and seeing the fires starting would know that it is a very risky day, and I’m hoping that they will take the advice that has been given in the messages that are coming out from this service.”
The CFA says they have 14 aircraft operating on the Lakes Entrance fire at this stage.
The CFA say that conditions will worsen in the next few hours.
“Over the next few hours we will see more of the spot fires developing and more of them are running down towards the south-east with the north-westerly wind behind them. We will see further runs of fire, quite some distances as we go into the afternoon”.
The forecast south-westerly wind will give them “control issues”. But after that, they are hopeful that they will “see a bit of a settling in the fire weather”.
The CFA is giving a press conference now in Bairnsdale.
They say that towns in most danger are: Bruthen, Buchan and Buchan South, Goongerah (which has already been evacuated) and “the coastal strip across to Mallacoota”.
They say they are unaware of any impact on private land – so far only public land has been affected.
Severe thunderstorms are forecast for South Australia and Tasmania – both have a risk of starting new fires.
In Victoria, the southerly is on its way.
An update on the Wingan River, Furnell, Tamboon South fire, which is at emergency level.
The CFA advises that the Princes Highway is now closed from Bruthen through to the Genoa intersection. And the road north of Genoa to Eden remains open but may close at any time.
The fire is currently approximately 20km east of Cann River.
All roads into the warning area are closed including the West Wingan Road.
Hobart has just registered its highest temperature in December on record. It hit 40.8C in the city at 1.47pm, before dropping to 39.8C.
Marilyn Withers is sitting in her car with the air conditioner running in an attempt to cool down her dogs, Majic and Puku. The 77-year-old lives at Nicholson, about 20km east of Bairnsdale, but was told to leave the eight-acre property this morning by her son. He is planning to stay and defend.
Withers is emotional at the thought of losing her house, where she lived for six years while caring for her husband. He died earlier this year and her son, Mitch, 57, has been staying with her since.
“It is really tough, I didn’t want to leave the house,” Withers said. “I didn’t know really where to go. Really nobody is telling you where to go.”
She has packed her car with blankets, a few changes of clothes, and all her photo albums. A sun tent is set up next to the car, but it is being flattened by the wind. The towering plume of smoke from the Bruthen fire can be seen in the distance.
Withers says she plans to go home tonight – provided the road is open. In the meantime she is wetting towels in the river in an attempt to keep her dogs cool.
We have also updated our interactive map tracking the total amount of land burned this fire season. The new total is 4.6m hectares, across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.