Canberra safe for now as Orroral Valley Bushfire downgraded to Watch and Act

The Orroral Valley bushfire has been downgraded to Watch and Act after burning through more than 8000 hectares and threatening southern suburbs of Canberra on Tuesday night.

Smoke rising from the Namadgi National Park fire burning south of Canberra. Residents of the small rural village of Tharwa have been told that it's too late to leave. Picture: AAP Image/Ralph Hurst-Meyers.

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The Orroral Valley bushfire has been downgraded to Watch and Act after burning through more than 8000ha and threatening southern suburbs of Canberra on Tuesday night.

The nation’s capital was facing its ‘most serious’ bushfire threat since 2003, with residents in the ACT’s southwest told it was too late to leave yesterday afternoon.

The blaze had been fuelled by strong winds and was started by heat from an Australian Defence Force helicopter on Monday.

Authorities are warning the blaze is the most serious Canberra has faced since the deadly 2003 fires. The fire had burnt through 8000 hectares on Tuesday night. Picture: Gary Ramage

ACT Emergency Services Agency warned residents near Tharwa Village, Boboyan Rd, Apollo Rd and Top Naas Rd to seek shelter.

And advised locals in Banks, Condor, Gordon, Smiths Rd and the Orroral Valley to activate their bushfire survival plan.

A fire rages south of Canberra as residents watch on. Picture: Josh Cox

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr on Tuesday said residents should “prepare for the worst case scenario”.

“This is the most serious situation we have faced since the 2003 bushfires,” Mr Barr said.

RAW timelapse footage of the last few hours - Orroral Valley fire -Out of control #canberra #australia #AustraliaBurning #AustralianFires pic.twitter.com/akBjC8AIof

— Martin Ollman (@martin_o) January 28, 2020

Around 100 residents who live in the Tharwa, between the far southern suburbs of Canberra and Namadgi National Park, had earlier been told to head to safety in Canberra’s suburbs as the bushfire made its way over Mt Tennant, but by late Tuesday afternoon the ACT Emergency Services Agency said it was too late to leave.

The fire before sunset threatening homes south of Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage

Police and emergency services were doorknocking the suburbs of Banks, Condor, Gordon and Calwell, with spot fires expected within 1km of Banks on Tuesday evening.

The fire is the first major fire this season in the ACT, and nearly doubled in size to 4700ha between Tuesday morning and Tuesday afternoon.

A fire bomber dropped retardant on the summit of Mt Tennant and spot fires were expected to flare up around the Namadgi National Park visitor centre.

Video: Orroral Valley fire, view from Davidson’s Trig#orroralvalleyfire #canberrafires pic.twitter.com/cVchAHJSPB

— Adam Spence (@AdamSpenceAU) January 28, 2020

The village is about 5km across the Murrumbidgee River and open grassland to the suburban fringes of Canberra.

Authorities set up an evacuation centre at Erindale College for those with nowhere else to go and have opened the showgrounds at Exhibition Park for horses and livestock.

Early on Tuesday crews had been told conditions were expected to ease overnight on Tuesday but worsen throughout the week.

Julian Smith, 27, with his daughter Emily, 3, looking out at the fire to south of them. Picture: Gary Ramage

ACT Rural Fire Service chief officer Joe Murphy told a meeting of Tharwa residents the national park was “really dry forest” which could burn quickly.

Mr Barr told reporters earlier on Tuesday people living near the fire would be feeling anxious.

“We know the next few days are going to be uncomfortable, with extreme heat and smoke haze from the fire continuing to impact across the Territory,” he said.

ACT Emergency Services Commissioner Georgeina Whelan said conditions worsened on Tuesday afternoon when overcast conditions broke.

“We should expect more difficult weather in the coming days to challenge fire conditions,” she said.