BUSHFIRE APOCALYPSE: Two Emergency-Level Blazes Rage Out of Control in Victoria’s Otways, Forcing Evacuations and Leaving Trail of Destruction
- At least 130 homes destroyed across Victoria, with the town of Harcourt in central Victoria the hardest hit
- Two emergency-level fires burning in the Great Otway National Park, with authorities warning conditions are volatile
- Evacuation orders in place for parts of Victoria’s Otways region, with residents urged to leave immediately
- Multiple roads closed due to bushfires, including a section of the Great Ocean Road
Firefighters are battling two out-of-control blazes in Victoria’s Otways region, with evacuation orders in place for parts of the area. The emergency-level fires are burning in the Great Otway National Park, with authorities warning conditions are volatile.
The Cape Otway fire started near the Great Ocean Road and is travelling from the Sandy Ridge Track in a south-easterly direction. Multiple emergency warnings are in place for the Carlisle River fire burning in the eastern end of the Otways.
At least 130 homes have been destroyed by bushfires across Victoria, with the town of Harcourt in central Victoria the hardest hit. The Ravenswood fire has wrought the most damage to homes, razing at least 50 structures — many of those in Harcourt, about 35 kilometres south of Bendigo.
A man in his 60s was found dead in a vehicle in Harcourt, with police saying his death was not believed to be directly related to the fire. Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch said at least 30 buildings had been confirmed lost in the Longwood fire in central Victoria, with aerial assessments continuing on Saturday.
Residents in the affected areas are being urged to leave immediately, with authorities warning that conditions are volatile and more resources are being sent to the fire from Geelong. The Great Ocean Road will close between Apollo Bay and Lavers Hill, with further closures possible.
Matthew Van Helvoirt, who has a farm in Alexandra, said he was frustrated at being denied access to his property despite his son’s farm being burnt out. “There’s a fire at the bottom of the farm now,” he said. “My son got burnt out last night.”
Courtney Hamill, who owns a supermarket in the township of Euroa, said she was confident food supplies would continue to be delivered despite disruptions from the Hume Freeway closure. “No one’s going to go hungry. No one’s going to go thirsty as long as we’re here,” she said.
Victorian Farmers Federation president Brett Hosking said livestock losses and loss of feed and agricultural machinery were starting to be assessed. “We are assessing livestock that are still alive, but badly injured. In many cases they’re having to be euthanised,” he told ABC Radio Melbourne.
More than 22,000 people are without power across Victoria, with nearly 20,000 of those in eastern Victoria. For more information on the latest fire warnings for Victoria, visit the VicEmergency website.