Key events
Uncontrollable fires expected as gusts of winds up to 80km/h forecast
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Dean Narramore has said gusts of up to 80km/h are forecast for some areas in Victoria today.
He said extreme fire danger ratings are current for everywhere in Victoria except for East Gippsland.
The combination of hot, dry and windy conditions is leading to these extreme fire dangers.
What that means is if fires get going or already ongoing through the Grampians national park, the weather conditions over the next six-to-12 hours, possibly longer, mean that any fire will be uncontrollable and uncontainable in these conditions.
We also have a severe weather warning for damaging winds, for much of western Victoria … that does include the Grampians national park with winds of 60 to 80km/h.
Some photos from the frontlines in Victoria:
Petra Stock
South Australia’s state duty commander, Ann Letcher, said a cool change was sweeping through the state earlier than expected.
It’s gone across most of the southern areas, and it’s really just those eastern border areas that haven’t seen the change yet. But we are seeing with the change some increased winds that are lasting for a couple of hours after the change has come through.
While the cooler temperatures were a relief for South Australians, who had experienced a very hot Christmas Day and night, the winds meant the elevated fire risk continued.
Until those winds drop out, we’re not able to relax completely, and the community still needs to be taking care.
The state hadn’t seen a large number of incidents by midday Thursday, and a blaze that started yesterday in northern Adelaide was now mostly extinguished.
Even though milder weather was expected in coming days, Letcher reminded people to remain prepared for bushfires, and if they hadn’t yet prepared, to jump online and make a five-minute fire plan.
Petra Stock
In Victoria, extreme fire conditions were already starting to develop as forecast, according to state control centre spokesperson, Luke Hegarty.
Over the next few hours, we expect the northerly winds to continue to strengthen, which will mean that any fire that is burning will spread.
Then we have the real risk later in the day, in the early evening through to night-time, when the southerly wind change will hit the state.
The strong, gusty conditions brought the risk of new incidents and could spread existing fires already burning in the Grampians national park, Bullengarook near Gisborne, Creswick and The Gurdies near Grantville, he said.
Any of those winds have the potential to spread those for fires, towards communities that, at the moment, have not been under a warning.
Hegarty urged those planning to travel in the state to reassess.
This is a critical part of the day. If you don’t need to travel, please postpone your plans.
Stay off the roads, stay safe and keep up to date with the current fires and any new fires. Know what the warnings are for your area. Go to the Vic emergency app, the Vic emergency website, emergency.vic.gov.au or listen to local emergency broadcasters.
A statewide fire ban remained in place, with extreme fire danger across eight of the nine fire weather districts.
Good morning
Welcome to our Boxing Day blog covering the bushfires and dangerously hot and windy weather.
We begin in Victoria, where authorities are evacuating people from areas in central and western regions, as five fires continue to rip through the state.
The current fires are burning at Grampians national park, Bullengarook, Creswick and at the Gurdies. Residents in the Grampians towns of Bornes Hill, Moyston and Pomonal were also ordered to leave on Wednesday as the blaze raced towards them.
Damaging winds and high temperatures are fuelling the fires, with some areas forecast to hit the high 30s and low 40s later today.
In South Australia, a total fire ban was declared for five regions, as gusty conditions contribute to the dangerous conditions.
We will keep you updated on both situations, and everything else happening across the country.
