Victoria bushfires LIVE: Out-of-control bushfire threatens towns as ...

An emergency warning urging communities to “leave immediately” near the Grampians National Park bushfire has been expanded from Strathmore alone, to include Glenthompson, Kia Ora, Moyston, Stavely, Willaura and Willaura north.

“The bushfire is travelling from the Grampians National Park in a south-easterly direction towards Glenthompson, Willaura and Moyston,” a Vic Emergency warning read.

“Firefighters have not been able to stop the fire.”

The warning advised leaving immediately is the safest option before conditions become too dangerous, and emergency services may not be able to help residents who decide to stay.

Another two emergency warnings are in place urging residents of Mafeking and Bornes Hill to “take shelter now”.

We’ve collated pictures from our photographers on the ground, along with photos from emergency services as the Grampians National Park fire continues to rage out of control.

There’s a gallery below. Alongside our live coverage, you can also read more about the bushfires across Victoria in this story by Angus Delaney and Benjamin Preiss.

Residents of Mafeking, near the Grampians National Park fire, have now been told to take shelter immediately, after they were earlier urged to evacuate.

The area of the emergency warning has also been changed.

“Winds have strengthened predominantly from the north … [but] these may become erratic and come from different directions,” an emergency warning read.

“This fire is threatening homes and lives.

“It is too late to leave the area safely, so you must take shelter now.

“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive.”

The warning advised residents to move indoors, along with their pets. People should wear long sleeves and trousers made from pure cotton or wool, as well as leather boots.

They should close all exterior doors, windows and vents; turn off cooling systems; and shelter in a room with two exits, such as a door or window including one directly to the outside, the warning advised.

“The extreme heat is likely to kill you well before the flames reach you,” the warning read.

“It is important to be able to see outside so you know what is happening with the fire.”

Authorities fear fires in the Grampians, Bullengarook, The Gurdies and Creswick could worsen later today when the wind changes direction.

“They have the potential in those winds to take off again, which will be difficult for firefighters to hold,” Emergency Services Commissioner Rick Nugent said.

The Grampians fire has now burnt more than 55,000 hectares. Credit: State Control Centre

“Today’s temperatures in the north are expected to be between 38 degrees and 42 degrees, and in the south up to 40 degrees,” Nugent said.

Fire crews are focused on keeping track of where the biggest of the bushfires, at the Grampians National Park, moves as the wind changes, Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent says.

He was confident that Victoria had the resources it needed to battle the blaze, including aircraft.

“But we must be mindful that even [with] the aircraft, there are certain conditions [in which] they can’t fly,” Nugent said.

More than 600 firefighters are battling the Grampians fire. Credit: CFA

“So if the winds are too extreme, there’s too much smoke, even heat, sometimes [that] can actually keep the aircraft on the ground.

“They are an excellent asset in support of the on-the-ground people, but sometimes we don’t get to use them, so our planning also involves firefighting without aircraft.”

Victoria is facing the worst bushfire conditions since the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires, but the state is better equipped to deal with the conditions, the emergency management commissioner says.

The messaging that resulted from the 2019-2020 bushfire season helped save lives, Rick Nugent said.

“We even saw that earlier this season with Pomonal. Forty-six homes were lost to the fires – not a single life lost, thankfully. So people do listen more,” Nugent said.

Fire in the Mallacoota area in 2020. The current fire conditions are the worst since the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20. Credit: Justin McManus

“People do listen more to the messaging, and they do respond more. So we are most thankful for that because it makes our job that much easier.”

About 600 firefighters were on the ground at the Grampians National Park battling that blaze, Nugent said. About 100 interstate emergency services personnel were also helping battle bushfires across Victoria.

“It only needs one very bad day to be a very bad summer,” Nugent said. “And so we can do all we can.”

During the Black Summer bushfires, huge blazes raged across Victoria and NSW over an exhausting 90 days. In Victoria, the fires killed five people, destroyed more than 400 homes, killed 6800 livestock and burnt more than 1.5 million hectares.

Deputy Premier Ben Carroll has said government disaster assistance is now available for communities affected by the fires, while warning “we are not through this at all”.

The disaster relief comes through an agreement with the Australian government and is for four local government areas: Ararat, the southern Grampians, the northern Grampians and the Macedon shire.

“We know this is a challenging time for all communities, and all communities will be supported through this period,” Carroll said.

Deputy Premier Ben Carroll speaks at a State Control Centre press conference on Monday.Credit: Paul Jeffers

“We want to thank everyone that has been following the advice and will continue to follow the advice in coming days.”

The Grampians National Park fire would probably burn for weeks, Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent said.

Firefighters are facing extreme difficulty as they battle blazes across the state, and are bracing for further challenging conditions, Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent has said.

Addressing reporters, Nugent said gusty northerly winds were pushing some of the fire at the Grampians National Park south.

Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent pictured in January. Credit: Paul Jeffers

“It’s also making it difficult for any new starts that occur across the state, which [we] have had a number of already,” he said.“This will be followed by a change in wind conditions that will move across to the south-west … which, again, [makes] it really problematic for firefighters with any of those existing fires.”

The Grampians National Park fire has already burnt about 55,000 hectares of land, causing environmental damage, livestock losses and damage to outbuildings and sheds.

“We have no reports as yet of residential homes [destroyed], but there are many residents [at the] Grampians, so I wouldn’t be surprised at some point if we do have residential losses,” Nugent said.