One home destroyed in bushfire burning in Victoria’s west
One home has been destroyed in a bushfire burning in Victoria’s west, with two more possibly lost, as stormy, windy conditions move across the state.
Victoria
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One home has been destroyed in a bushfire burning in Victoria’s west, with two more possibly lost, Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent confirmed on Sunday.
Two fires are not yet under control, following an extremely challenging day for firefighters on Saturday.
Watch and act warnings remain in place for the Chapple Vale fire – near Lavers Hill in Victoria’s south west – and the Kadnook fire – south of Edenhope in Victoria’s west.
So far, 1250 hectares has been burned in the Kadnook fire, while 700 hectares has burned at Chapple Vale.
There were also stock and agricultural losses confirmed in those areas, with further assessments being carried out today.
It comes after firefighters battled over 80 grass, scrub and bush fires on Saturday amid extreme hot, windy and dry conditions.
Fires in Dereel, south of Ballarat, Kawarren, south of Colac, and Marcus Hill, east of Ocean Grove, also proved quite significant in addition to the blazes in Chapple Vale and Kadnook, Mr Nugent said.
Alongside the challenging weather conditions, firefighters were battling the blazes in difficult terrain and were supported by fixed wing and rotary aircraft.
“Our firefighters did an amazing job yesterday, and I want to pass on my sincere thanks to everyone involved in yesterday’s firefighting efforts, both volunteers and paid workers,” Mr Nugent said.
The Great Ocean Road was closed from 10.30pm Saturday until 4am Sunday due to the risk of fire and smoke from the Chapple Vale/Lavers Hill fire burning in the Otways National Park, however it has now reopened with traffic management on site.
At least 10 hikers and campers were evacuated from the Otways National Park yesterday, with parts of the park and some walking trails still closed.
A total fire ban is in place until midnight Sunday for the Wimmera weather district for operational reasons, as hundreds of firefighters continue to battle the fire in the region.
Stormy, windy conditions move across the state
A band of showers has been moving across Victoria from the west, Bureau of Meteorology’s Keris Arndt said of the weather conditions on Sunday.
There’s was some lightning activity recorded through western Victoria in the morning, with winds developing from a westerly direction throughout the day.
CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said the winds will keep the firegrounds quite dynamic on Sunday afternoon.
“There’s two fires of concern for firefighters today as a result of those westerly winds which will be coming through,” he said.
“Particularly that Kadnook fire – which is burning in blue gum plantations and quite undulating country – will be challenging for firefighters to be able to get containment around it.
“Firefighters continue to work on the (Chapple Vale fire near Lavers Hill) fireground for the course of today ... I anticipate that that fire will burn for quite some time,” he said.
The winds will become quite fresh throughout the day particularly through western Victoria and the coast as well, where a severe weather warning has been issued for damaging wind gusts about coastal parts of the state.
Significant storm activity has already been seen through parts of central Victoria, with 70 requests for assistance received in Shepparton alone.
Those calls for help related to damaged buildings, damaged fallen trees and power lines down.
Mr Arndt said the rain has been moving eastwards and is now affecting eastern parts of the state, about the ranges.
“We have a severe weather warning out for heavy rainfall as well as damaging to locally destructive winds about the northeastern parts of the state,” he said.
“We’ll see this rain continue, and we could see rainfall totals reaching up to 100 millimetres or so about exposed parts of the eastern ranges.”
He said the system is going to move eastwards and contract away, and by mid afternoon, the conditions should ease with some isolated showers and potentially some thunderstorms to remain.
Conditions should settle quickly overnight with milder conditions and lighter winds expected for most of the week.
But it will heat up again by next weekend, with Friday and Saturday currently forecast to reach tops of 33 and 35 respectively.
“The weather pattern that we’re starting to see now is coming into that traditional summer pattern that we see here in Victoria,” Mr Heffernan said.
“We’ll see the weather build again for Friday, Saturday this week ... but no real indication of winds at the moment. The Bureau will firm that up as we get closer to that time.”
Mr Heffernan urged Victorians to get prepared for summer now and get a bushfire survival plan in place.
“As we saw yesterday, when fires do start and spread quite rapidly, they can do so with minimum warning and time,” he said.
“It’s important to make sure that you always have your family up to date and know what to do in the event of a fire.”
Latest emergency warnings
CHAPPLE VALE
WATCH and ACT for Lavers Hill-Cobden Rd, Chapple Vale. You should leave now, if you are not prepared to stay.
Bushfire - Watch and Act for Lavers Hill-Cobden Rd, Chapple Vale. You should leave now, if you are not prepared to stay. For more info: https://t.co/BsgVDxL7k4#vicfires
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) November 17, 2024
ADVICE for Lavers Hill-Cobden Rd, Chapple Vale. You should stay informed.
Bushfire - Advice for Lavers Hill-Cobden Rd, Chapple Vale. You should Stay Informed. For more info: https://t.co/C2WZb84Hpc#vicfires
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) November 17, 2024
KADNOOK
WATCH and ACT for Casterton-Edenhope Rd Kadnook. It is not safe to return.
Bushfire - Watch and Act for Casterton-Edenhope Rd Kadnook. It is Not Safe to Return. For more info: https://t.co/2QC8N74MvQ#VicFires
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) November 16, 2024
ADVICE for Casterton-Edenhope Rd Kadnook. You should stay informed.
Bushfire - Advice for Casterton-Edenhope Rd Kadnook. You should Stay Informed. For more info: https://t.co/yvLNfEn5ue#vicfires
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) November 16, 2024
EASTERN VICTORIA
SEVERE WEATHER WARNING for damaging, locally destructive winds and heavy rainfall.
Severe Weather Warning for damaging, locally destructive winds and heavy rainfall
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) November 17, 2024
For people in North East and parts of East Gippsland, Northern Country, North Central, West and South Gippsland, Central and South West Forecast Districts.
Stay informed: https://t.co/T05ONtx8bBpic.twitter.com/FuoTs6ZDHa
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