Victorians have been told it’s “too late to leave” while others are urged to flee for their lives as bushfires burn out of control in the state’s east.
Three fires in the Gippsland region were already at an emergency warning level before 6am on Tuesday, with take shelter now emergency warnings now enacted for Briagolong, Cobbannah, Culloden, Moornapa and Woolenook as well as Seacombe and Loch Sport.
The Duffys Rd fire in Briagolong is now threatening homes and lives as “conditions have changed and the fire has now crossed Beverleys Road and is moving toward the Princes Highway”.
“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately,” Vic Emergency’s website reads.
“It is too late to leave. Leaving now would be deadly.”
The following roads are now closed:
- Bairnsdale-Dargo Rd at Lindenow-Glenaladale Rd.
- Freestone Creek Rd at Valencia Creek Rd.
- Valencia Creek Rd at Marathon Rd
- Fernbank-Glenaladale Rd at Princes Highway.
- Stockdale Road at Briagolong-Stockdale Rd.
The same emergency warning has been issued for Seacombe and Loch Sport as a fire that started near Lakeside Track in the Gippsland Coastal Park burns out of control.
“You must take shelter before the fire arrives. The extreme heat is likely to kill you well before the flames reach you,” authorities warn.
“As soon as the bushfire has passed the house, or conditions inside become unbearable, you need to get out and go to an area that has already been burnt. Staying inside a burning building will almost certainly end in death.”
Residents in Fernbank, Lindenow South, Stratford, Walpa, Woodglen, Perry Bridge Stockdale, Iguana Creek, and Glenaladale have been told to leave now as emergency services “may not be able to help you if you decide to stay”.
“Leaving immediately is the safest option, before conditions become too dangerous,” Vic Emergency’s website reads.
Those fleeing the fire should leave using the Princes Highway heading towards Sale.
Residents are urged to travel to a loved one’s home that is outside the emergency area or to the Emergency Relief Centre open at Gippsland Regional Sports Complex in Sale or Lucknow Oval on Great Alpine Road.
There are also three watch and act warnings in Victoria, with residents in Paradise Beach and Golden Beach told they need to prepare to evacuate as they are threatened by the Loch Sport fire.
“Prepare to evacuate immediately and leave as soon as you are ready, as roads will become busy as people leave,” Vic Emergency warns.
Residents are urged to travel to Sale or Traralgon, with the safest evacuation route past Duston Downs on Longford-Loch Sport Rd.
Those in Stratford, Bengworden and Hillside have been told to leave now as the Duffy Rd fire burns in a south-easterly direction.
“Don’t wait, leaving now is the safest option – conditions may change and get worse very quickly.”
Meanwhile, a severe weather watch and act warning has also been enacted for the broader Gippsland and northeast Victorian regions as fierce winds rage.
Winds are expected to average 60-70km/h with peak gusts of up to 110km/h.
“Hazards include fallen trees and branches, dangerous road conditions, fallen power lines, broken windows and damage to vehicles,” Vic Emergency warned.
There are also more than 80 fires across NSW, 16 of which are not contained.
Firefighters are particularly concerned about blazes burning near Mudgee, with a 340ha grassfire burning in Home Rule.
“We’re most concerned about the fire in the north of Mudgee. Yesterday that burned through a number of outbuilding structures,” Rural Fire Service Commissioner Rob Rogers said on the Today show.
“We’re going to be really watching that closely today because it’s going to get some really nasty weather.”
Just on Monday, the fire reached an emergency level as it burned out of control before simmering down overnight.
NSW’s firefighting efforts will be hampered by fierce heat that’s settled in across the state, with temperatures expected to push toward 40C later on Tuesday.
It could be the hottest October 3 in history for Sydney, with the previous record sitting at 24.8C at Observatory Hill in 2007 and 2008.
Fire bans have been enacted over large parts of the state, including the Greater Sydney region and Greater Hunter.
After days of blistering heat that’s only added oxygen to the fires, a cold front is on the way through to give residents breathing room.
The “strong” cold front on its way from Western Australia will reach Victoria and South Australia on Tuesday, bringing with it a band of rain that’s expected to ease fire conditions.
Up to 200mm could fall in parts of Victoria most affected by bushfires over the next few days.
Though the rainfall is welcome, the cold front will bring its own severe weather, with wind gusts more than 100km/h already impacting Victoria before moving into NSW on Wednesday.
“This will bring a band of severe thunderstorms to central NSW which will move east during the day, reaching Sydney and coastal NSW later on Wednesday,” WeatherZone meteorologist Bob Neil said.
“Strong northerly winds will develop across NSW while cold southwesterly winds extend across SA, Vic and western NSW.”