Share and Follow
A raging fire erupted on the Goulburn Valley Highway in Trawool around 1 p.m., sending an urgent call for action across the region. The blaze, fierce and uncontained, is advancing in a south-westerly direction, posing a significant threat to areas along Fairview Road and the Tallarook State Forest.
Authorities have issued an immediate shelter-in-place order for residents in extensive areas of Kerrisdale, Tallarook, and Trawool, emphasizing that it’s too late to evacuate safely. People in these zones are advised to remain indoors to protect themselves from the advancing flames.
Meanwhile, communities situated north of the Goulburn Valley Highway, including parts of Granite, Kerrisdale, and Trawool, are currently not in the direct path of the fire. However, residents in these areas are urged to stay vigilant and informed about the situation as it develops.
“There is currently no threat to you, but you should stay informed and plan for what you will do if the situation changes,” advised the Country Fire Authority (CFA), underscoring the importance of readiness and awareness in these uncertain times.
“There is currently no threat to you, but you should stay informed and plan for what you will do if the situation changes,” the CFA said.
The potential fire impact zone has since been extended to Strath Creek, where residents along King Parrot Creek Road and surrounds from Tehans Road to Strath Creek Road have been told to evacuate immediately.
Conditions around the fire are currently peaking at 32.5 degrees, with northerly wind gusts up to 45 km/h.
The mercury in Melbourne is slightly warmer, reaching 33.7 degrees at 2pm.
Authorities are bracing for a gusty south-westerly wind change expected to move from the far-south-west of the state in the coming hours.
That wind change should sweep across the fireground later tonight, which could pose further challenges for firefighters.
A Total Fire Ban is in place across five fire districts today, amid extreme fire danger ratings.
Those districts include the South West, Wimmera, Central, North Central and West and South Gippsland.
Several air assets have been deployed to smother the flames with water from above.
NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.