Homes lost as bushfire burns out of control in Victoria
A wildfire raging out of control in the Otway Ranges has destroyed at least three homes and will threaten many more after it gains strength following a cool change on Tuesday afternoon.
The fire raged on a day when Victoria recorded an all-time high temperature, thousands were affected by power outages and scorching heat forced the postponement of outdoor matches at the Australian Open.
Dozens of towns, including Gellibrand, Forrest, Mount Sabine and surrounding areas, were ordered to evacuate immediately on Tuesday afternoon and evening, while communities along the Great Ocean Road and Otways were urged to remain on high alert.
Authorities warned they could not guarantee the safety of anyone left behind to try to protect their property from the fires.
The River Wye, which was at risk of fire in early January and was devastated by flash flooding two weeks ago, and 58 other towns in the area between Aireys Bay in the east and Kennedys Creek in the west have been placed under watch and action warnings.
Bushfire Management Victoria chief fire officer Chris Hardman said strong south-westerly winds of 70km/h fueled the change on Tuesday afternoon, opening a new flank of the fires and blazes moving quickly eastwards before “moving hard” in a northwesterly direction on Tuesday night.
He said more than 10,000 hectares of land had burned by 3 p.m., but officials knew much more would go up in flames.
“That fire will go out,” he said. “It’s going to create a plume. It’s going to pick up really significant energy and we’re going to see erratic and extreme fire behavior.”
He told Nine News on Tuesday evening that winds could become stronger overnight.
“We’re looking at the winds over Bass Strait right now. They’ll be moving into the fire zone in the not too distant future,” he said.
Of the wildfires burning across the state, bushfires in the Otway Ranges, known as the Carlisle River fire complex, were the most dangerous, Hardman said.
In the small Otways town of Gellibrand – generally a haven for tourists, with quirky cafe signs, a public piano by the footpath and a blue mosaic seat to soak it all in – the mood was tense.
On Tuesday, the air was cut by the sound of chainsaws as helicopters thundered overhead to deliver water to the fire front just a kilometer down the road; Meanwhile, a few firefighters lay in the shade to escape the heat.
Nearly everyone in the town and surrounding small towns heeded evacuation warnings and fled Saturday and Sunday. Only a few survived.
In the center of town is the Gellibrand River General Store, covered in yellow windbreakers and red tin. Owner Cherry Smith had only been there a month, but she already understood the store’s importance to the small town. So he and his family stayed.
“We think it’s really important to defend the building,” he said. “As the hub of the community, we think we can help.”
He served drinks and food throughout the day and filled firefighters’ pockets with bags of candy.
“I think it would be pretty scary for something to turn like that,” he said. “But if we stay, I think we’ll be fine.”
Gellibrand is surrounded by thick fibrous bark bushes. When trees burn, their thin, paper-like bark peels off and embers fly through the air.
Firefighters were able to successfully contain the south and east flanks of the fire – for fear the fire would burn southward under the morning breeze, turning eastward and quickly moving away with a change in wind – but they were constantly struggling to put out spot fires away from containment lines.
Closer to the fire front, Wayne Clissold and his family decided to stay and defend. A lawn sprinkler was mounted on the roof, which periodically wet the tiles, while a large inflatable pool was used at the back to retain heat.
“We checked all the weather details,” Clissold said. “Wind speeds are not intended to be very high. We have a 10,000-litre tank at the back with a fire suppression pump.”
The evacuated next door neighbor had given the family permission to listen to his tank. Their car was full of belongings, the doors were open, and they were ready to flee if the situation got worse. “We realize there is no guarantee that firefighters will come and help us,” Clissold said.
Elsewhere, authorities issued watch and action warnings for dozens of communities west of Dargo whose homes and lives are at risk from rapidly changing conditions due to wildfire on the eastern flank of the Alpine National Park.
Near the NSW border, the Walwa-Mount Lawson fire burned 121,400 hectares on Tuesday, while the Carlisle River fire burned 10,400 hectares; It has doubled since Saturday.
The Longwood fire, which is now under control, burned 133,600 hectares.
A total of 430,000 hectares have now been burned across Victoria; It is estimated that close to 450,000 hectares were burned during Black Saturday.
Authorities issued a complete fire ban for the Wimmera and North East regions on Wednesday.
CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said despite the chilly change, conditions would make it difficult to suppress new fire outbreaks and strain firefighters already working to contain existing fires.
“Even in areas not under a total fire ban, we urge people to rethink the need for things that have the potential to start fires.”
Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch said the next four days will be extremely difficult for fire crews and communities in the northern part of the state and warned fire tourists to stay away.
“There is still a disaster situation in 18 municipalities of our state, especially in areas where fire warnings are in place,” he said.
“We cannot emphasize enough that we do not need people in these areas who do not belong to these areas. Please do not attempt to drive through traffic management points and please make sure you follow emergency broadcasters and our Vic emergency app for the latest information and alerts.”
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Bianca Hall is The Age’s environment and climate correspondent and has worked in a variety of roles including senior writer, city editor and the federal policy office in Canberra.Connect with: X, Facebook or email.
Liam Mannix is the national science correspondent for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect with: X or email.
