Five fires burn out of control in Vic’s west as more dangerous conditions loom
Residents in parts of Victoria’s west are on high alert as firefighters battle five out-of-control fires as the state braces for more hot and dry conditions.
Firefighters are battling five out-of-control fires in Victoria’s west as the state braces for more dangerous hot and dry conditions.
Residents in Glenisla, Strachans and Victoria Valley were on Tuesday night told to leave their homes immediately and warned emergency services may not be able to reach them if they chose to stay.
Dry lightning started a fire at the Little Desert National Park in the early afternoon on Monday, which razed more than 69,000ha of land within hours.
That region has issued a Watch and Act warning, cautioned that the fire could threaten private properties under changing conditions.
A WATCH & ACT - BUSHFIRE - Leave Now is being issued for Glenisla, Strachans, Victoria Valley.
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) January 28, 2025
Don't wait, leaving now is the safest option - conditions may change and get worse very quickly.
More details at https://t.co/bSaetMwuajpic.twitter.com/SMf3ypVoAC
The blaze destroyed wedding and function centre Little Desert Nature Lodge on Tuesday and remains out of control.
Meanwhile, to the south in the Grampians region, multiple lightning strikes on Monday afternoon ignited several new fires just weeks after a mammoth blaze at the national park was contained.
Two fires at Wallaby Rocks have merged and are burning toward another blaze at Asses Ears. Surrounding towns are warned to watch and act for changing conditions.
Incident controller of the Grampians Fires Complex Graham Fountain said he suspected the fires would merge.
Another blaze at Bullawin Rd in the Victoria Range had already burnt 3350ha as of Tuesday afternoon and was still growing.
Mr Fountain said that fire was cause for concern for crews as it continued to spread northwards.
“We’re implementing containment strategies both within the Grampians National Park and starting containment strategies across private land in the coming days,” Mr Fountain said.
“The whole objective is to get containment lines around these fires and secure the edges of these fires and put strategies in place to mitigate the risk of further outbreak as we see increased fire weather conditions in the coming week.”
Meanwhile, a fire at Taylor’s Track has been contained after burning 78ha.
Mr Fountain said crews were commencing burning out operations across the Grampians fires, and additional aircraft being deployed to strengthen containment lines before temperatures jump into the 30s in the coming days.
South Australian firefighting resources were also being brought in to help fight the blazes.
“This is a tricky period, a risky period, and both firefighters and community need to work together to mitigate the risk into the future,” Mr Fountain said.
TUESDAY COVERAGE
On Tuesday night Horsham incident commander Peter Shaw said the Grampians and Little Desert National Park fires were still considered to be out of control and would “burn for some time”.
However the threat from the fires had been downgraded, with the evacuation order lifted and residents of Dimboola allowed back to their homes.
Mr Shaw said an anticipated increases in humidity overnight and a drop in wind would aid in battling the ongoing blazes, however the situation could change rapidly.
“At this stage it’s really about containment as much as we can,” he said.
“We expect tomorrow to be a fairly calm day to be able to do some good work.”
Premier Jacinta Allan on Tuesday said the Dimboola fire was “very serious” but that “every resource was being thrown” at tackling the blaze.
“This fire that’s threatening Dimboola right now was caused by lightning going through the district at about 1.20 yesterday (Monday) afternoon,” she said.
“That fire has taken off and it’s taken off really, really quickly, in just a matter of hours, the size of that fire spread to 64,500ha in just a matter of a few hours.”
Ms Allan said she had not yet requested financial assistance from the federal government, noting further assessments were required.
“In terms of advice on property loss, we can’t provide that advice until it’s safe to get in there and do that rapid assessment work,” she said.
The Western Highway between Dimboola and Horsham, Dimboola and Nhill and the Borung Highway between Dimboola and Cannum remained closed.
Little Desert Nature Lodge destroyed
In a Facebook post, camp director Moshe Kahn said that “it is with deep sadness that we announce the complete destruction of the Little Desert Nature Lodge”.
“Little Desert Nature Lodge has long been a haven for those seeking to connect with nature. We are currently assessing the extent of the damage and planning next steps forward. In the meantime, we extend our thanks to the community for their messages of support and encouragement during this difficult time.”
The post went on to say that all people and animals are safe and that everyone on the property, including guests, were evacuated as a “precautionary measure” before the fire began.
“We are deeply grateful to the CFA for their rapid and courageous response in battling the blaze. Their tireless efforts under challenging conditions ensured the safety of the surrounding area and minimised further risk.”
Members of the local community offered their support in the comments, with one local, Leesh Martion, saying that “there are no words to ease the pain,”
“Please know that the local communities along with nature and birding communities are also devastated by the loss of the lodge.”
Another, Jack Airey, said that it is “such dreadful news to lose the nature lodge but grateful that everyone is safe. This place has been an icon for so many people for so long.”
Anxious residents wait for updates
Nervous residents took to social media as they anxiously waited for “CFA members to save their town”.
The Dimboola Banner, a weekly community newspaper, shared dramatic images from local resident, Melissa Howard.
Chan Uoy, co-owner of the Imaginarium shop in Dimboola, said he received an emergency text at 6.57pm on Monday to leave town by 7.30pm.
Mr Uoy and his partner, Jamie, sheltered at the Horsham relief centre with family while their pets were being housed at the town’s showgrounds.
“Yesterday it was so ominous with a nasty hot wind. And the smell of smoke was so strong late in the afternoon. It was really rapid.
“Driving out of town on the highway it got really dark. It was quite surreal.’’
Horsham residents had been offering accommodation for the evacuees, he said.
“The community spirit is quite strong. This sort of event brings out the best in people.”
Dimboola resident Trent Swinson, said the sky was “pure black with a red sun” as they fled.
“It was pure black and it wasn’t even dark; we’ve never seen it like that,” he said
He said they only had 20 minutes to evacuate, only grabbing the kids, his pets and their wedding and birth certificates.
He said the fire was approaching family’s home when they evacuated and they were “very scared and very stressed” that they would return to find it burnt down.
“You build it up from scratch and then you’ve got to start all over, he said
Dimboola resident Nicole Polycarpou evacuated about 7.30pm on Monday. She said she was in Horsham with her husband, Will, and some friends when the advice changed but had to return to pick up their two dogs.
“It came out of nowhere, we were offering our house to friends who are on a farm in case they had to leave when we were also told to leave,” she said.
“We were told it would be too late to leave after 7.30 so we only had time to get back, grab the dogs and what we could and get out.
“It was an insane experience.”
Fabian Lauricella, head chef at the Victoria Hotel in Dimboola, said residents were ordered to evacuate less than an hour after an extreme danger warning was issued.
He said dozens of residents from Dimboola evacuated, with many staying with friends and family in Horsham, or simply camping in their cars as the evacuation centre filled.
“We got a (notification) on our phones saying we had to evacuate immediately because the fires were coming through really quickly,” he said
Mr Lauricella said he grabbed his 4-year-old daughter and his dogs and they fled, taking the bare essentials.
He said he had been at the evacuation centre in Horsham since 7am. The highway was being reopened, but he said he would likely keep his family in Horsham for one more night as the threat of the fire continued to hang over Dimboola.
“We don’t really know anything, we don’t know where the fire is at,” he said.
Thieves target CFA volunteer
The CFA said that a volunteer’s ute had been stolen while they were out fighting the Dimboola fire.
Chief officer Heffernan asked the public to keep an eye out for the stolen vehicle.
“I can’t think of anything worse than, or a lower act (than) to go steal the car of a volunteer,” he said.
“The car was at Werneth Fire Station, while (the owner) was out there protecting the community. It was last seen in Linton.
“We have put some advice out to the community, that if anyone does see the vehicle, we encourage them to make contact with the Victoria Police.”
The ute has been described as a dark blue Toyota Land Cruiser with a large black bull bar and two large antennas attached to the front.
Grampians fire remain out of control
It comes as bushfires in the Grampians, Mirranatwa and Victoria Valley region remain out of control.
The Grampians fires come weeks after a mammoth blaze at the national park was finally contained.
Residents in Strachans, Victoria Point, Victoria Valley were told to “leave immediately” just after 7.30am on Tuesday morning after a bushfire started near Bullawin Rd.
The bushfire remained out of control as of 10am, with emergency services warning those in the area to evacuate “before conditions become too dangerous”.
“Emergency services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay,” the warning read.
Meanwhile to the north, a bushfire in the Wallaby Rocks Rd area near Zumsteins was also not yet under control as of 10am.
“There’s a fire on the northernmost point, fires at the southern point near Victoria Valley and firefighters will again return to the Grampians to try and contain those fires,” said chief officer Heffernan.
“While we don’t have those hot temperatures today, we are expecting those stiff and breezy southerly winds which will see some of those fires move.”
Emergency crews anticipated the fire could threaten private property later on Tuesday.
A Watch and Act warning has been issued for residents in Cranage, Zumsteins, Glenisla Crossing, Brimpaen, Laharum and Wartook.
“There is a bushfire in the Grampians National Park in the Wallaby Rocks Rd area near Zumsteins that is not yet under control,” the warning said.
“The bushfire is travelling in a northerly direction towards Wartook.”
The state control centre’s Luke Heagerty anticipated crews would find more fires across the state after a band of lightning struck the state on Monday during extreme fire conditions.
“There is potential to see new fires reported today,” he said on Tuesday morning.
“If people see smoke or flame and they don’t believe that flame has currently been reported, they should call triple-zero to report that fire.”
Originally published as Five fires burn out of control in Vic’s west as more dangerous conditions loom
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