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More than a hundred structures have been lost and at least 300,000 hectares razed by multiple fires burning throughout Victoria.
A state of emergency was declared in 20 local government areas on Saturday, with fire-fighting efforts concentrated on the fiercest blazes, including one in the state’s centre and another in the northeast.
Three people feared missing were located, with the trio unaccounted for since Thursday after fire destroyed their house in the hard-hit town of Longwood, about 50km north of Melbourne.
Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch said an early estimate that 115 structures had gone up in flames was expected to climb.
The damage report lists the following: Ravenswood-Harcourt suffered 50 structures destroyed, Longwood lost 30, Grass Flat saw 20 structures damaged, Yarroweyah recorded 10, and Streatham noted five.
Significant losses of livestock, cropping land and vineyards have occurred at most of the locations listed.
“We’ve also seen impacts to critical infrastructure, in particular the Bendigo railway line that has been impacted by fire and is now closed,” Mr Wiebusch said.
Peter Cookson, captain of the Little Yarra Country Fire Authority, shared his harrowing experience battling blazes on Friday night in the town of Yarck.
He confirmed that several homes in the area were lost to the fire.
“All hell broke loose”, he said, with conditions intensifying to the point that his unit was forced to withdraw due to the danger.
“It just got so intense, we all had to get out of there,” he said.
As he left the burning town, images of the hills and properties ablaze stayed with him.
“It was very confronting,” Mr Cookson said.
“One of my last visions were the homeowners in their utes out in their paddocks, driving around with their big water tanks.”
“We couldn’t tell them what to do, it’s their property. It’s up to them whether they stay and we can’t force them to leave.”
“But that does sit in my mind.”
“It’s crucial to understand how the heightened fire risk can affect you, and make sure your fire plan accounts for all potential scenarios,” he advised.
Long way to go
There were 14 relief centres open across Victoria on Saturday, host to shocked families who had lost their homes or were waiting to hear more.
Emotional locals attended a community meeting in Castlemaine, just outside Harcourt on Saturday, where they were given updates on the raging fire.
Victoria was under a total fire ban on Saturday that was set to stay in place on Sunday.
CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said conditions had eased but there was a long way to go before fires were brought under control.
“Understand how the increased fire risk will impact you and ensure your fire plan covers all possible contingencies,” he said.
Authorities confirmed a firefighter had been hospitalised with third-degree burns to his hands and a volunteer needed hospital treatment after being hit in the face by a hose.
An interstate firefighter also suffered a medical episode and was airlifted to Melbourne.
All three were recovering from their injuries.
