Victoria bushfires LIVE: Emergency, watch-and-act warnings issued across west

Things are moving quickly tonight so here’s a quick recap of what you need to know as fires continue to burn out of control across the state’s south-west.

• In the west, the blaze engulfing a blue gum plantation at Kadnook is still at emergency level and those in Chetwynd and Connewirricoo are being urged to leave immediately with their pets, as a southwesterly change with wild winds looms.
• Spot fires from the fire are also threatening Brimboal, Chetwynd, Nareen, Wando Bridge, and Wando Vale and residents should leave now.
• Along the Great Ocean Road, those in Crowes, Lavers Hill, Yuulong and Wattle Hill should leave immediately as an out-of-control fire burns south to the coast from Chapple Vale to the Great Ocean Walk.
• The fire burning near Gellibrand, Kawarren is now under control but those near the Otways face a nervous night watching the fire alerts.
• Outside Ballarat in Victoria’s west, the towns of Dereel, Corindhap, Mount Mercer, Rokewood, Shelford are urged to stay on alert but no longer need to evacuate as the fire near Dereel was brought under control late this afternoon.

Fire at Gellibrand on Saturday afternoon.Credit: Nine

I’m Sherryn Groch signing off from our live coverage of the fires today.

There are more than a dozen bushfires still burning across Victoria, but a cool change sweeping through overnight is expected to ease today’s hot, dry conditions – though it will also bring heavy rainfall and wild winds to the state’s north.

You can read our latest coverage here. And keep up to date via our interactive map below.

Thanks for reading and stay safe!

Towns in Victoria’s south-west face a nervous wait overnight as several bushfires continue to burn out of control, even as a coming cool change is expected to bring wild winds and heavy rainfall across the state Sunday morning.

While a fire threatening towns near Ballarat has been brought under control, those in towns near the South Australian border, where a fire has engulfed a blue gum plantation in Kadnook, are still being urged to flee, as are people in the path of another out-of-control blaze burning towards the coast near the Otways and the Great Ocean Road.

Read more here.

As an out-of-control bushfire continues to bear down on the Great Ocean Road coastline, those in Lavers Hill as well as Crowes, Yuulong and Wattle Hill are being urged to leave immediately.

At 7:50pm, fire crews said the blaze was travelling from Lavers Hill-Cobden Rd, Chapple Vale south down to the Great Ocean Walk along the coast, throwing embers and spot fires ahead.

Things are moving quickly tonight so here’s a quick recap of what you need to know as fires continue to burn out of control across the state’s south-west.

• In the west, the blaze engulfing a blue gum plantation at Kadnook is still at emergency level and those in Chetwynd and Connewirricoo are being urged to leave immediately with their pets, as a southwesterly change with wild winds looms.
• Spot fires from the fire are also threatening Brimboal, Chetwynd, Nareen, Wando Bridge, and Wando Vale and residents should leave now.
• Along the Great Ocean Road, those in Crowes, Lavers Hill, Yuulong and Wattle Hill should leave immediately as an out-of-control fire burns south to the coast from Chapple Vale to the Great Ocean Walk.
• The fire burning near Gellibrand, Kawarren is now under control but those near the Otways face a nervous night watching the fire alerts.
• Outside Ballarat in Victoria’s west, the towns of Dereel, Corindhap, Mount Mercer, Rokewood, Shelford are urged to stay on alert but no longer need to evacuate as the fire near Dereel was brought under control late this afternoon.

Fire at Gellibrand on Saturday afternoon.Credit: Nine

The fire burning near Gellibrand along Railway Line Rd, Kawarren has been brought under control, fire crews said at 6:52pm.

Those in the area no longer need to evacuate but firefighters will stay in the area until Sunday morning.

An exodus of tourists has already been moving through Lavers Hill this evening as the warnings came through.

Gellibrand bushfireCredit: nine

Residents in Gellibrand, Kawarren near the Otways forest are being urged to leave immediately as the blaze at Railway Line Road continues to burn out of control.

As the blaze moves south to Frys Road, those in the area are being told to evacuate via Colac-Lavers Hill Road with their pets, phones and medication.

In the state’s west, the blaze in Kadnook’s blue gum plantation is still out of control and has been upgraded to emergency level this afternoon as it barrels towards Chetwynd, south of the Glenelg River.

Those in Chetwynd and Connewirricoo are urged to leave immediately with their pets, phones and medication, using Casterton-Edenhope Rd to evacuate towards Casterton.

A southwestery change is expected to hit the area between 8pm and 10pm tonight, bringing winds of up to 30 kilometres an hour.

An emergency relief shelter is now open in Edenhope at the community centre on Elizabeth Street.

The bushfire barrelling towards the Victorian towns of Dereel, Corindhap, Mount Mercer, Rokewood, and Shelford near Ballarat has been brought under control.

Firefighters said the blaze at Camms Road in Dereel no longer posed an immediate threat to communities but they should keep monitoring alerts closely. Crews will remain in the area.

Meanwhile, in the Otways, the Great Ocean Walk is still under threat from spot fires and embers.

An uncontrolled blaze at Lavers Hill-Cobden Rd at Chapple Vale is moving south towards the walk, that runs along the famous coastline.

An updated watch-and-act message at 5:32 now covers Crowes, Yuulong and Wattle Hill to the Great Ocean Walk, and people are urged to leave now. Walkers west of Cape Otway should move to shelter, such as the beach or a car.

Spot fires and embers are likely to hit the Great Ocean Road this evening.

A community refuge has been set up in the area at Otway CFA fire station on Lavers Hill-Cobden Road.

Those in the path of the fires are urged to evacuate now with their pets, medications, mobile phones and chargers.

A grass fire burning near the Hume Freeway and Oak Valley Road, Longwood is now under control.

Firefighters will monitor the area until early Sunday and smoke might be hanging overhead.