Bushfires: ‘Get out now’ as wild winds swell risk

Residents in the line of out-of-­control bushfires in Victoria’s alpine region were evacuated on Friday before a potentially dangerous wind change.

A CFA crew tackles a spot fire along the Great Alpine Road outside Omeo in Victoria on Friday. Picture: Jason Edwards

Residents in the line of out-of-­control bushfires burning through Victoria’s alpine region were evacuated on Friday before a potentially dangerous wind change, while previously stricken parts of East Gippsland were bracing for renewed fire activity late into the night.

Fire authorities had issued three evacuation orders and three emergency warnings as of 6.30pm as multiple fires burned across the east of the state.

Residents of Harrietville, near Mount Buffalo, were ordered to evacuate by 4.30pm as a nearby fire encroached, while those who had remained in Bright after most tourists were evacuated more than a week ago were warned that an uncontained blaze was headed in a northeastern direction towards the town.

Cann River and Omeo and surrounds were also subjected to emergency warnings, while at ­Bruthen and Buchan, where many properties were lost and resident Mick Roberts was killed when fire hit more than a week ago, were ­experiencing increasingly unstable conditions.

Emergency Management Com­missioner Andrew Crisp said the risky conditions would continue well into the night.

“What we know is there is very significant fire activity increasing right now,” he said at a briefing at state control centre at 5.30pm.

“Today’s not over. We know that it’s the lead-up to the change and post the change is where the real risk is for us.’’

Hot temperatures and high winds encouraged a flare of ­almost a dozen fires across NSW, with 3300 firefighters battling more than 130 blazes.

Nine fires were elevated to watch-and-act status on Friday afternoon, including the massive Green Valley fire and the Dunns Road fire south of the Snowy Mountains, which merged with the East Ournie Creek Fire to create a mega-blaze almost 600,000ha in size, and an emergency warning was issued in the north of the state after a fire broke out at the Bugaldie region.

NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said another had broken out in a ­remote area of the Blue Mountains because of lightning strikes.

A milder change was expected to move through southwestern NSW on Friday night, potentially easing weekend conditions in some places but creating erratic fire conditions in others.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian urged people to remain vigilant through the night.

“In essence, we know it’s going to be a long and difficult night,” she said.

“We won’t know the extent of the impact of these fires until early tomorrow morning.”

At least 1995 homes have been lost across NSW since the start of the fire season, 1079 of those being destroyed since January 1.

In Victoria, where authorities have had difficulty accessing fire-affected areas to assess the extent of the damage, 286 residential properties are confirmed damaged or destroyed, as well as a further 400 outbuildings.

The national death tolls stands at 25.

Victorian Premier Daniel ­Andrews said he was pleased most residents had heeded warnings to get out and praised Victoria Police and the Australian Defence Force for a “successful partnership” in ­regards to evacuating people.

Police and defence personnel on Friday door-knocked residents of Harrietville still in the town.

Haydn Richards and partner Sarah Draffen have lived through three bushfires in the 12 years they have lived in Harrietville and were pleased to get a visit.

Mr Richards said officers spoke to them about their evacuation plan should the out-of-control bushfires burning near Mount Hotham reach the town.

“They said: ‘What’s your trigger point to go?’ I said when I see ­embers and possibly, you know, a bit of action, then I’m out of here,” he said.

Bakery owners Matt Quinn and Renee Grenfell in nearby Myrtleford are planning to keep their business open.

“Someone’s got to feed the ­fireys, they can’t make their own rolls,” Ms Grenfell said.

Mr Quinn added: “Everyone’s banding together here, everyone’s really looking after each other.”