Victorian towns on alert as bushfires still rage
February 11, 2009 - 8:32AM
Fires continue to menace communities near Beechworth. Photo: Nick Moir
The fire threat in the Yea-Murrindindi area, in north-east Victoria, is worsening because of strong southerly winds.
The Country Fire Authority has issued urgent alerts for the communities of Acheron, Cathedral Lane, Rubicon, Thornton and Taggerty Road and Bulls Lane. Residents are warned they may be directly impacted by the blaze.
The CFA said fire on the north-east front in the Blue Range is experiencing continuing fire activity because of the southerlies. There was also increased fire activity towards the northern end of the Black Range.
All Victorians have been warned to remain on alert for increased fire activity today despite calmer weather conditions overnight.
Increasing winds are expected to pose a problem for firefighters after crews spent the night working to establish control lines at 23 fires raging out of control in the state.
The death toll from Australia's worst ever natural disaster stands at 181 but authorities expect that number to increase as they gain access to fire-gutted areas.
"Crews have been working very hard to establish control lines along the Whanregarwen Road from the Maroondah Highway to Molesworth," the CFA said.
The authority said the fire was burning in a north-easterly direction and covered about 100,000 hectares.
In the Yarra Valley, fires continue to rage south-east of Toolangi and east and north of Healesville.
The CFA advises residents that the fire activity remains high, with increased possibility of ember attack. Residents have been warned to remain vigilant and aware of the localised change in conditions.
Communities in Healesville, Chum Creek, Badger Creek, Steels Creek, Dixons Creek, Yarra Glen, Toolangi and Castello are advised to remain alert to fire activity.
CFA spokesman Darren Grevis-James said strong southerly winds were expected to spring up in the region and push the fire in a northerly direction.
"There are a lot of of towns and hamlets that line the path and they should all be alert,'' Mr Grevis-James said.
"It isn't an issue for absolute critical concern, but people need to be alert that the fire could get up during the day.''
Fire crews from Tasmania arrived in Melbourne last night are now working with local crews.
Healesville's three primary schools and secondary school, which were closed yesterday, will remain closed today.
The CFA said residents of Alexandra, Thornton, Snobs Creek and Eildon communities north of Healesville also needed to stay vigilant, but were under no immediate threat of fire.
Overnight, firefighters used cool, relatively calm conditions to try to bolster control lines around bushfires ahead of predicted warm, windy and hot weather later in the week.
More than 4000 firefighters, including hundreds from interstate, still have their hands full with 23 fires out of control and 10 others contained but still burning strongly within control lines.
Threats have eased to towns near the Beechworth fire in the state's north-east and from the Bunyip Ridge and Churchill-Jeeralang fires in Gippsland.
The Kinglake Complex fire, in which at least 147 people have died, has blackened 230,000 hectares of land in a huge area spanning Wandong in the west, St Andrews and Kinglake in the south, Marysville in the east and Flowerdale and Taggerty in the north.
A fire in the Blue Range, south of Alexandra, is the most active sector of that fire.
Residents in and near Yarck and Caveat, north-west of Alexandra, are on alert for spotting from the Blue Range fire.
A series of fires near Healesville, known as the Maroondah/Yarra Complex, remains active.
The fires have burned about 1200 hectares and on Monday night threatened to burn houses on the outskirts of Healesville, but easing winds have allowed firefighters to make some gains.
"It's progressing well. It's still burning southeast of Toolangi and east and north of Healesville," Ms Cullen said.
"Residents continue to be advised that fire activity remains high and they need to be vigilant but it's not as aggressive as it has been."
Increased fire activity was detected at nearby Mount St Leonards early this morning and residents in Healesville, Chum Creek, Badger Creek, Steels Creek, Dixons Creek, Yarra Glen, Toolangi and Castella were placed on alert for changing conditions or increased fire activity nearby.
Fire crews and staff from Government agencies are working to protect community assets in the area and water catchment infrastructure at the Maroondah Reservoir.
Fires in the mountains above nearby Warburton and at the Bunyip State Park to the south are expected to cast a pall of heavy smoke over the upper Yarra Valley.
The 25,000-hectare Bunyip State Park fire still rages.
It is burning in the park and state forest areas between Gembrook, Powelltown, Neerim Junction and Tonimbuk, south-east of Melbourne.
In south Gippsland, the CFA has downgraded the threat posed to at least 10 tiny communities by the Churchill-Jeeralang fire.
At least 21 people were killed in the fire, which has burned 35,000 hectares, destroyed 77 buildings and caused high stock losses.
Conditions have also eased in the north-east, allowing fire crews to strengthen containment lines on the 30,000-hectare Beechworth fire.
No property was under immediate threat but the towns of Dederang, Gundowring, Gundowring Upper, Glen Creek, Kergunyah South, Mudgegonga and Running Creek were advised to remain on alert for bushfire activity.
"Increased smoke activity could be witnessed as firefighters undertake fresh backburning operations," Ms Cullen said.
Temperatures will remain cool to mild in Victoria today, with isolated showers in the south but no rain in the north.
Moderate to fresh southerly winds with high to very high fire danger in grass lands in the north.
A fire weather warning is current in the northern country and Mallee forecast districts and parts of the Wimmera and north central forecast districts with temperatures up to 25 degrees, humidity down to 15 per cent and winds to 45kmh predicted.
AAP
