Bushfires break out in Victoria as BoM warns of catastrophic fire risk

Bushfires have broken out in Victoria as emergency services prepared for catastrophic fire conditions forecast for Friday, forcing the closure of the Hume Freeway and cancellations of regional train and bus services. Firefighters from at least two states were reported fighting blazes while public lands and parks were closed.

Fires were burning in several states, with residents at Longwood and Walwa warned to "leave immediately", the report said. The Bureau of Meteorology issued severe to extreme heatwave warnings for every state and territory except Queensland, and Melbourne was forecast to reach 41C on Friday; some locations had already recorded temperatures above 45C, the BoM said.

Forecasters said Friday would be "the most dangerous day with regards to fires" because of hot, dry and windy conditions, including damaging winds with gusts up to 90km/h. The Country Fire Authority said it was bracing for "a very, very dire bushfire day", and Victoria's emergency management commissioner warned that catastrophic fire danger ratings mean fires will be "unpredictable, uncontrollable, and fast-moving".

Measures in place include a total fire ban across Victoria, wider bans in South Australia and parts of New South Wales, Ambulance Victoria declaring a red escalation from 7am on Friday, and suspension of freight through high-risk areas.

Key Topics

World, Victoria, Hume Freeway, Country Fire Authority, Longwood, Heatwave