Extreme conditions in Victoria, Australia - update - 12/20/2015

There has  been a cool change in Victoria bringing some relief - but a change of wnd direction exacerbating the fire danger.

Victoria on fire danger high alert as wind change hits

A large bushfire near Ballarat has claimed eight properties, including homes, while another out-of-control fire is threatening communities in Victoria's north-east.

Firefighters work to contain the bushfire near Scotsburn, which has destroyed at least eight buildings, on Sunday. Photo: AAP

Radio NZ,

20 December, 2015

The main blaze is at Scotsburn and there are other fires at Buxton, Lorne and East Gippsland.

In the state's north-east, fire authorities have also issued an emergency warning for Barnawartha, Indigo Upper and Indigo Valley as a fast-moving grassfire approaches.

In the warning, issued about 12.30pm (2.30pm NZT) on Sunday, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) told residents it was too late to leave their homes.

"You are in danger, act now to protect yourself. It is too late to leave," the CFA said.

Firefighters battle a bushfire near Wandin, east of Melbourne, on Saturday.

Photo: AAP / David Crosling

Victoria's Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley said firefighters were battling numerous fires across the state.

"The reason we emphasise wind change is that things change when the winds change," he told reporters on Sunday.

"If we have a fire running, it's fed with a northerly, it changes direction and it's very dynamic and can become an unsafe fire ground not only for our firefighters but our communities too."

He said the 4000ha Scotsburn fire, near Ballarat, was of critical concern and at least eight buildings had already been destroyed.

The volatile conditions at Scotsburn had caught many off guard, he said.

Three CFA crews, in two separate incidents, were lucky to escape when their vehicles became trapped when a storm cell ran into the smoke plume at Scotsburn, pushing the fire to the west while the winds hit from the north.

"That actually caught firefighters out," he said.

The trapped crews activated the sprinklers over the trucks and huddled under fire retardant blankets until the danger had passed.

'Watch and Act' warnings were in place for Wandin North (pictured), Scotsburn, Barnawartha and Grenville.

Photo: AAP

It is believed the Scotsburn fire was started by a spark from machinery operating in a paddock.

Crews were also battling fires, all started by lightning, near Lorne in the Otway National Park, near Buxton and in East Gippsland on Sunday afternoon.

They were also keeping an eye on a contained but out-of-control grassfire at the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges.

All of the state's firefighting aircraft have been dispatched to help crews on the ground.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews applauded firefighting efforts, saying this weekend's operation was another example of fire crews putting their lives on the line to protect Victorias.

'Watch and Act' warnings were in place for Wandin North, Scotsburn, Barnawartha and Grenville.

'Advice' messages were issued for Lorne, East Gippsland, Shepparton North and Buxton.

- AAP / ABC

3:17pm: CFA incident controller Graham Healey just spoke to the ABC confirming thatstructures have been lost in the Barnawartha fire. 

The fire has almost doubled in size in the last hour and is now 4670 hectares.

He says good work has been done to shore up the eastern side of the fire, near Wodonga.

"We haven’t succeeded in making much effect on the head of the fire, but fire crews have succeeded in keeping the fire from crossing Indigo Creek road – which would lead the fire directly into Wodonga.

"If the work they have done holds when the wind changes, we will have half a victory.

"People are still our main priority. We’re continuing to reinforce the warnings, but we’re not asking for any more warnings at the moment."

Mr Healey is expecting a wind change in next two hours, with winds of up to 100 km/h that may push the fire east toward Wodonga. 

3:10pm: Melbourne's cool change initially teased before brining genuine relief. The temperature dipped a few degrees at 12pm, rose again, before plunging once more.

It's 22 degrees outside in the city at the moment

 

City of MelbourneVerified account‏@cityofmelbourne

Finally the cool change is here #melbweather

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5:01 PM - 20 Dec 2015

2:48pm: An emergency warning has just been updated for Barnawartha, Indigo Upper and Indigo Valley.

This is an Emergency Warning issued by Country Fire Authority for Barnawartha, Indigo Upper, Indigo Valley.

There is a fast moving, out of control grassfire travelling in a south easterly direction from Barnawartha towards Indigo Valley.

Spotfires and Ember Attacks could be up to 4.30km ahead of the main fire.

You are in danger, act now to protect yourself.

It is too late to leave. The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately.

Indigo Valley Road is closed.