Three people missing and multiple properties destroyed as bushfire hits Victorian town ‘like a bomb’ | Victoria

An out-of-control bushfire in central Victoria has destroyed scores of properties and three people remain unaccounted for as authorities warn lives could be lost due to catastrophic fire conditions.

Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch confirmed on Friday that the Longwood bushfire was out of control and destroyed both community and residential properties in the town of Ruffy, about 175km north of Melbourne.

“In and around the town of Ruffy, there are a large number of homes lost to fire. We cannot confirm these figures at this stage, it is still too dangerous to get in and down, but we have seen multiple properties lost through our helicopters gathering aerial intelligence,” Wiebush said.

Victoria police assistant commissioner Bob Hill said three people – a man, woman and child – were missing from nearby Longwood East.

He said firefighters spoke to the group Thursday morning and told them it was too late to leave the area. When crews returned in the afternoon, “the house seen by the three people standing in front of it was completely destroyed.”

“We don’t know where these three people might be right now,” Hill said.

“They may be safe, they may be alive. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, but we are keeping an open mind and will continue to investigate under the circumstances.”

Hill noted that the location of another group of three people, whose name was not previously disclosed, was determined. He emphasized the need to communicate with friends and family.

Wiebusch said about 40 fires had broken out in Victoria due to the severe to extreme heatwave as well as damaging winds and storms. He said fire potential was “catastrophic” in four regions – North Central, North Country, South West and Wimmera; It is the first such warning issued since the dark summer fires of 2019-20 due to “extreme” conditions in the rest of the state.

“There will be difficult and challenging conditions for our firefighters in every part of the state today. With the winds we will see today, there will be periods where our aviation fleet of over 70 aircraft will not be able to fly,” he said.

“If you are in a bushfire-prone area in Victoria, our strongest advice is to leave immediately. If you haven’t left already, if you don’t leave now, it could result in the loss of your life.”

Prime Minister Jacinta Allan said it was “not courageous” to stay and defend the property in these circumstances.

“We’ve seen in recent history how fires of this magnitude, on days like today, in extreme weather conditions across the state, can wreak havoc on people, equipment and whatever preparations you thought you had made,” he said.

“You can’t win against fires of this magnitude created on days like today.”

Earlier, Country Fire Authority captain George Noye said the Longwood fire destroyed a building converted from a former school into a community center and at least 10 properties in Ruffy. One crew member was taken to hospital with third-degree burns to his hands.

“The town has been seriously affected. The main street looks like a bomb went off,” he told ABC Radio.

Another firefighter, Darryl Otzen, said his own property in Ruffy was destroyed while he was fighting the blaze. He feared “there was nothing left” of the town, located in the Strathbogie Ranges.

Ortzen said he and his team stopped to help some neighbors as they tried to get back to the town of Ruffy. That’s when he realized he had lost his place.

“You couldn’t see the house because of the smoke,” Ortzen said. “All the trees down the road were completely burned and it’s like we can’t even get in there. Just keep going.”

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“After a while my neighbor went up and looked and said unfortunately there was nothing there.

“It’s ridiculous to get in the truck and drive past the house that used to be your home when you’ve been out for two and a half days.”

‘Absolutely devastating’

Noye said the fire was “absolutely devastating” and that the area lost “countless homes.” He said there wasn’t much firefighters could do in the coming days due to hot, dry and windy conditions.

“We have encountered fire before, but this is the first time we have been completely affected by the fire front,” he said. “The community is incredibly resilient and we will get through this.

“We did our best. Thank God we are all alive.”

Chris McDermott, a local farmer, said he managed to save two houses on his property, but his brothers-in-law living on either side of him were not so lucky. He said the most damage occurred after a wind change around 11:30 a.m. on Thursday.

“A lot of places burned down where we are,” he said. “We managed to save two houses and a shearing shed on the property, but the rest of the infrastructure was almost completely destroyed.”

He said one of his brothers-in-law lost “everything” including his house, shed, tractor and cars. The other lost shearing and hay sheds.

“Both brothers-in-law lost their shares, I think all their shares.”

there was multiple emergency alerts About noon Friday regarding the Longwood fire.

A bushfire burning about 25km west of Walwa in north-east Victoria also sparked fire. evacuation warnings.

The fire had burned 20,000 acres as of Friday morning and was so intense it created its own weather system, including lightning and thunder. This includes 12,000-16,000 hectares of well-mature pine plantations, Wiebusch said.

“However, at this stage, there has been no financial loss due to this serious fire,” he said.

Victoria Bushfire Management chief Chris Hardman said the storms also sparked 13 new fires in the Alps region and Central and East Gippsland.

“One of these fires has the potential to impact the community today and that is the Dargo-Talbotville fire. This fire has been prioritized.”

via Australian Associated Press