Melbourne: Residents of several towns in Australia’s second-most populous state were ordered to evacuate due to nearby bushfires. Authorities in the southeastern state of Victoria on Saturday afternoon issued emergency “leave now” and “watch and act” warnings for several communities in the state’s west and southwest as crews responded to out-of-control fires.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the Country Fire Authority urged residents not to delay evacuation, stating, “Don’t wait, leaving now is the safest option.” The authority warned that conditions could deteriorate rapidly and that emergency services might be unable to assist those who choose to stay, putting themselves and their families at risk.
The Bureau of Meteorology forecasted high, extreme, or catastrophic fire danger for much of southern and eastern Australia on Saturday, with high temperatures exacerbated by strong winds. More than 20 fire trucks were deployed to fight a fire threatening the small Victorian town of Dereel, approximately 100 k
m west of Melbourne.
Authorities declared a total fire ban in northwest Victoria on Saturday, advising the entire state to remain on alert. Luke Hegarty from the State Control Center told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation about the dry conditions and the potential for fires to spread or ignite in areas without a total fire ban due to strong winds.
Conditions were expected to ease on Sunday, with heavy rainfall forecast for much of Victoria.