‘Not safe to return’: Dire warning as deadly bushfires rip through Victoria

Scores of bushfires continue to burn as firefighters battle to contain fires that have spread across parts of Victoria, destroying at least 480 properties and killing one person.

There are 12 major fires across the state, and all of them have been downgraded to monitoring and action.

There is no fire ban in Victoria on Tuesday, but some areas have a high danger rating: the North East, North Central, North Country, South West, Wimmera and Mallee.

Wildfires downgraded to watch warnings and take action

As wildfires continue to burn out of control, multiple watch and action alerts have been issued across the state.

The wildfire in Longwood is out of control and is being patrolled by fire crews, with roads in the area closed to the public.

There is a watch and act warning for residents of Acheron, Alexandra, Ancona, Barjarg, Bonnie Doon, Cathkin, Caveat, Creightons Creek, Creek Junction, Devils River, Dropmore, Dry Creek, Eildon, Fawcett, Ghin Ghin, Gobur, Gooram, Highlands, Kanumbra, Karralika Heights, Kelvin View, Killingworth, Kithbrook, Koriella, Lake Eildon, Lima East, Limestone, Longwood, Longwood East, Maindample, Merton, Molesworth, Old Longwood, Ruffy, Snobs Creek, Strathbogie, Strathbogie South, Tallangallook, Tarcombe, Taylor Bay, Terip Terip, Thornton, Too-rour, Upton Hill, Whanregarwen, Woodfield, Yarck and Yea.

VicEmergency said: “We ask non-residents to avoid unnecessary travel and respect that access is only granted to those who need to pass.”

A watch and act warning has also been issued for Barkers Creek, Harcourt, Harcourt North, Ravenswood South, Sutton Grange and Walmer following an out-of-control grass fire on Fogartys Gap Road in Ravenswood South.

The fire crossed the Calder Highway, affecting Harcourt, Mount Alexander and areas east towards Sutton Grange.

“The spread of the fire has slowed and is not extending beyond the current burn area, but this could change at any time and the situation remains dangerous,” VicEmergency said.

Watch and act warnings are also in place for the rural area of ​​Carranballac, Stoneleigh and Skipton, with the CFA warning residents it is “unsafe to return”.

“Dangerous trees and downed power lines pose a significant risk to residents trying to return to their homes,” VicEmergency said.

There is also a caution and action warning for Bungador, Chapple Vale, Irrewillipe and Simpson due to an out-of-control bushfire on the Carlisle River.

“Firefighters have managed to slow the spread of the fire for now but there is fire activity in the Pipeline Road-Walls-Skinners Access area,” VicEmergency said.

“The situation may change at any time. You must monitor the conditions and be ready to act.”

Smoke haze is affecting air quality across Victoria

As weather conditions ease in Victoria after sweltering heat, smoke haze continues to cover the state.

Quality is “extremely poor” in the state’s North East forecast area and “very poor” in the Mallee, Northern Country and West and South Gippsland forecast areas.

Meanwhile, those living in the Central, South West and Wimmera regions are facing “poor” air quality, while those living in the North Central and East Gippsland regions are experiencing “fair” air quality.

Citizens were asked to minimize the time spent in smoky environments.

Forest fires leave traces of destruction

Farmers and residents affected by raging wildfires are returning to the paths of destruction.

More than 480 structures were destroyed in the deadly forest fires, which burned more than 400,000 hectares, affected 1,000 farms and claimed one life.

The remains of farmer Maxwell Hobson were found about 100 meters from a car on Yarck Road in Gobur on Sunday afternoon.

Mr Hobson was a local farmer who owned 101 hectares of land in Terip Terip with his wife Julie.

Strathbogie Shire mayor Scott Jeffery told ABC Breakfast there was “not much left” in the town of Ruffy, which was decimated by the Longwood bushfires.

“This is going to be a very long road to recovery; I think it will take years,” he said.

Mr Jeffery is a CFA volunteer and was fighting fires on the battlefield when flames began to spread to his home in Tarcombe.

“I had planned what this would look like both in the Shire and with my family, and decided that the first few days my skills would be best used to defend our family property,” he said.

While he managed to save his home, he said his farm was badly burned and some animals were missing.

“We have a hay shed and another one is still there,” he said.

“It’s a pretty big farm and it’s all burned down.”