Victoria power outages as it happened: Hundreds of thousands across state still without power; final Grampians fire alert downgraded

Firefighters are continuing to battle several blazes across the state after bushfires destroyed properties in the Grampians National Park on Tuesday.

Thousands of homes remain without power as energy providers work to repair powerlines and poles damaged during widespread storms.

Here’s what we learned today.

• A 50-year-old Darlimurla man died when he was struck by debris on a property in Mirboo North on Tuesday.
• Up to 30 houses had reportedly been lost in the Pomonal area and there had been significant loss of stock, as well as damage to fence lines and sheds - but the Pomonal church was saved.
• Emergency alerts for bushfires in the Grampians National Park have been downgraded to watch and act warnings, and the threat of a fire near Ballarat has been reduced.
• Firefighters are attending a bushfire in the Warby Ranges that is not yet under control. Emergency services have advised people in the area to leave while it is safe.
• More than 127,000 Victorian homes and businesses remained without power on Wednesday evening, as the Australian Energy Market Operator warns some may be disconnected for more than a week.

My name is Alex Crowe - thanks for following along. Stay safe.

• Watch and Act - Bushfire - Leave Now: There is a bushfire in the Warby Ranges that is not yet under control. The bushfire is travelling within the Warby-Ovens National Park in a north-easterly direction towards Sessions Road, Killawarra - issued at 5.27pm.
• Watch and Act - Bushfire - Leave Now: This is a message issued for Northern Grampians and Dadswells Bridge. There is a bushfire at Grampians National Park, Mt Stapylton that is not yet under control. Do not enter the area - conditions may change and get worse very quickly - issued at 2.58pm.
• Watch and Act - Bushfire - Leave Now: This is a message issued for Bellfield, Halls Gap, Lake Fyans and Pomonal. There is a bushfire at Grampians National Park, Bellfield that is not yet under control. Firefighters have been able to slow the spread of fire for now, but the situation can change at any time. You must monitor conditions and be ready to act.
• Advice - Bushfire - Threat Is Reduced: The fire that started in Newtown and spread into the Ross Creek State Forest is now under control. Firefighters and aircraft will continue to attend to the fire overnight - issued 6.48pm.
• Advice - Bushfire - Stay Informed: There is a bushfire at Mcleod Rd, French Island that is not yet under control. The bushfire is within the French Island National Park.

Up to 50 schools and early learning centres could remain closed on Thursday after reports of power outages and access issues across the state.

Melbourne schools were among those unlikely to open, including Monash Technical School in Clayton, St Thomas More’s School in Belgrave and St Peter’s School in Clayton.

The Education Department said the long list of schools and early childhood services currently set to be closed would be updated on its website as their power and access was restored.

A spokesperson has advised parents to call their children’s schools if they had not received an update on Thursday morning.

Education Minister Ben Carroll told 774 there had been 100 reported outages and 40 reports of storm damage since Tuesday.

Carroll said it was expected most school would reopen by the end of the week, including those around the Grampians.

“Possibly, it is a miracle that we didn’t lose any schools in the Pomonal fires - a combination of sheer luck and the land being quite clear around the school has been helpful in this occasion,” he said.

School bus services in Halls Gap, Pomonal, Stawell, Roses Gap, Dadswell’s Bridge, Nintinbool, Ross Creek, Berringa, and Ballarat were also expected to be affected on Thursday.

Carroll said it was likely the bushfires had affected families in Pomonal with school children.

“We’re going to work with them and do everything we can to ensure that we have the least disruptive education as possible,” he said.

More than 127,000 Victorian homes and businesses remained without power on Wednesday evening, as the Australian Energy Market Operator warns some may be disconnected for more than a week.

More than half a million properties lost power at the peak of the outage on Tuesday evening, with more than 280,000 still without power this morning.

“Electricity crews have made significant progress in restoring power to thousands of properties in Victoria that suffered power outages due to yesterday’s storms” AEMO said.

“Vegetation clearing and repairs to damaged powerlines and poles continue.

“However, given the extent of the widespread damage, it may take days or more than a week in extreme circumstances to restore electricity to all of those impacted.”

Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the AusNet area in the east of Victoria had been hit the hardest.

“25% of AusNet’s network has been damaged, making it the worst event in their history,” she wrote on X.

“AusNet have over 8,000km of lines to inspect and hope to complete this work tonight.

“At that point, they’ll have a better understanding of how long it will take to restore power to each area.”

D’Ambrosio said she had met with the CEOs of AEMO and each of the powerline companies on Wednesday.

“I will meet with them again in the morning to understand how restorations are progressing and ensure that communications to customers are clear.

“This will enable anyone left without power to make plans.”

Victoria’s electricity distribution businesses and customers without power:

AusNet Services: Outer east and outer northern Melbourne, eastern and north-eastern Victoria: 112,272

CitiPower: Melbourne CBD and inner suburbs: 50

Jemena: North-west Melbourne: 8

Powercor Australia: Outer western suburbs of Melbourne, and central and western Victoria: 3229

United Energy: South-east Melbourne, and Mornington Peninsula: 12,184

Emergency services have issued a leave now alert for people in the Warby Ranges due to a bushfire that is not yet under control.

The bushfire is travelling within the Warby-Ovens National Park in a north-easterly direction towards Sessions Road, Killawarra.

The CFA has advised people to leave the region while it is still safe.

“Conditions may change and get worse very quickly. Emergency services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay,” the alert said.

Updates on the fire will be provided here: www.emergency.vic.gov.au

Mirboo North has been described as “unrecognisable” after a storm tore through South Gippsland bringing down trees and powerlines and killing a dairy farmer.

A 50-year-old Darlimurla man died when he was struck by debris on a property on Boolarra-Mirboo North Road at about 6pm on Tuesday.

South Gippsland Major Clare Williams said the death was a terrible blow to the community.

Mirboo North has been described as unrecognisable after Tuesday’s storm.

“It’s news that no one would ever wants to receive and our thoughts are absolutely with their family at this devastating time,” she told 3AW.

A severe thunderstorm hit the region on Tuesday afternoon bringing damaging winds to the region.

Power, internet and mobile phone outages were prevalent across South Gippsland following the storm, and many roads were impacted by trees and debris, the council said in a statement.

Williams said many Mirboo North residents were facing an uphill battle as they began to rebuild homes and businesses.

“Mirboo North is unrecognisable,” she said.

“As you’re driving in there’s trees that have just been uplifted from the ground.”

Williams said the most urgent work was getting roads cleared, so residents could get to their homes and check on family members.

Parts of the South Gippsland Shire remained without power at 5pm on Wednesday with many people still waiting to hear when it would be restored.

“I wish I had a crystal ball because it’s one of those top questions that people are asking,” Williams said.

The CFA has advised smoke has been reported in the Warby Ranges in the Warby-Ovens National Park.

Emergency services are responding and will provide update when it is available.

There is currently no threat to the community.

Families are still waiting to learn whether they lost their homes in western Victoria as the historical church in Pomonal thought to have been destroyed in Tuesday’s bushfire has been confirmed as still standing.

Lowan MP Emma Kealy said 25 to 30 houses had been lost in the Pomonal area and there had been “significant loss of stock, fence lines and sheds”.

Kealy said fire crews had worked through the night to contain three fire front across two major fires near Pomonal and Dadswells Bridge in the Grampians National Park.

“To quell the rumours, the historic church has been saved,” she said.

Fire Rescue Victoria Incident Controller Mark Gunning and Lowan MP Emma Kealy.

Church leaders raised the alarm after initial reports that the Uniting Church in Pomonal had been destroyed.

Kealy said the Ballarat fire crew involved in the turnover had been treated for minor injuries and were okay.

“Importantly, I am not aware that anyone has lost their life in this fire event,” she said.

The Grampians National Park was closed on Wednesday with road closures through the park and in the region.

The Western Highway is closed between Ballarat and Horsham, and Ararat-Halls Gap Road was closed from Moyston-Dunkeld Road, Moyston to Grampians Road, Halls Gap.

Kealy said some roads in the region were expected to be closed for some time.

“Trees along roadsides are actively burning in the Pomonal area which present a risk to entry.

“This has been incredibly difficult for many Pomonal residents who don’t know if their home remains standing or not.

“The Western Highway has massive burned-out red gums blocking the roadway - in some areas laying across all three lanes (in overtaking sections).

Kealy said it will be a massive cleanup.

“Telstra have offered additional data to their mobile customers in the fire impacted areas.

“GWM Water will provide potable water for the Pomonal community as soon as they can enter.

“The Salvation Army is providing meals at the Stawell Emergency Relief Centre (GCH in Patrick St) and Ararat (Alexandra Oval).”

The CFA has advised there is a bushfire that is not yet under control burning at French Island National Park in Western Port, just off the Mornington Peninsula.

Firefighters are responding to the McLeod Road fire, which is not yet under control.

Emergency services say there is currently no threat to communities, but people should stay informed and monitor conditions.

Updates and alerts can be found here: www.emergency.vic.gov.au

About 148,000 NBN customers are still without services across Victoria.

NBN Co said “significant” restoration works began overnight in Bendigo, Berwick South, Craigieburn, Colac, Lara, Maryborough, Mount Macedon and Shoreham.

Generators have been set up in Cowes, Kilmore, Koo Wee Rup, Scoresby, Kangaroo Flat, Longwarry, Melton West, Warragul and Sale to maintain connectivity to those communities. Further generators are being sent today to locations including Traralgon and Bairnsdale.

The widespread blackouts have also severely limited telecommunications services.

“We’ve brought a number of sites back online overnight and this morning, including a large number in the Gippsland region, but with the power outages continuing there’s still a lot to do,” Telstra Regional General Manager Steve Tinker said.

“We know how important it is to stay in touch with loved ones during times like this, and we are working to get everything back online as quickly as possible where it’s safe for our technicians to do so.

Optus manager Jayson Grool said that, like Telstra, his company was looking to deploy portable generators to affected areas once assessments could be made.