BY ASHLEY GEELAN with AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS VIA WIRELESS
This report was updated at 2009hrs, 2057hrs, 2131hrs, 2212hrs & 2230hrs AEDT, 16/12/2024.
An emergency warning is in place for a bushfire near Ballarat, in Victoria’s west, amid a heatwave across the state.
Emergency services are urging people to immediately evacuate the area around the out-of-control blaze between Dean and Creswick, about 20 kilometres north of Ballarat as a cool change sweeps across the state.
A bushfire at Melbourne Rd, Creswick, is not yet under control. The bushfire is travelling from Melbourne Road, Creswick in a north-easterly direction towards Sawmill Road, Springmount.
Whilst the fire threat is reduced for Clarkes Hill and Wattle Flat. Before returning home check that roads to your property are open.
Watch and Act warnings remain in place for Glenisla, Flat Rock Crossing, Glenisla Crossing in the Grampians; Casterton-Edenhope Rd, affecting Cheywynd, Connewirrico, Mooree, Culla, Powers Creek and Tarrayoukyan.
In Gippsland, there is a bushfire in the Avon – Mount Hedrick Scenic Reserve that is contained. The bushfire is located in the area of walking tracks near the Channels, north of the Channel Track picnic area.
Earlier:
There is also a bushfire at Grampians National Park that is currently a Watch and Act.
The wind change can prevent extra challenges for firefighters as the fire front changes due to change in wind direction. This is even more volatile during the period when the ‘wind swings around’ as it changes the firefront and which direction(s) the fire is heading in.
These wind changes, as rapid cool changes sweep across the state, often at high wind speeds, can often lead to embers being blown several kilometres in front of the ifre, sparking another fire.
The fire is travelling from Creswick-Melbourne Road in a south-easterly direction towards Howards Road, Wattle Flat.
VicEmergency said: “Leaving immediately is the safest option before conditions become too dangerous. Emergency services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay.”
The blaze started in the Creswick State Forest about 5pm.
The State Control Centre’s Luke Hegarty said people in the area needed to remain on high alert.
“We do expect conditions may change and get worse very quickly,” he said.
“We want communities to be aware that now is the time to check your fire plan and if you’re looking to get away then the option is to travel towards family and friends or towards Creswick,” Mr Hegarty said.
Nearly 60 Country Fire Authority (CFA) vehicles and 250 firefighters have been responding to the fire, which started in the Creswick State Forest at about 5pm.
There is also a Watch and Act warning in Dean, Newlyn, Newlyn North and Springmount related to the same fire.
“A wind change is expected around 7pm, which will cause the fire to change directions towards Dean and Mollongghip. Conditions can become very dangerous and unpredictable,” VicEmergency said.
The State Control Centre’s Luke Hegarty said people in the area needed to remain on high alert.
“We do expect conditions may change and get worse very quickly,” he said.
“We want communities to be aware that now is the time to check your fire plan and if you’re looking to get away then the option is to travel towards family and friends or towards Creswick.”
Authorities are also urging people to leave the area of a fire in the Grampians National Park and the Glenisla, Flat Rock Crossing, Glenisla Crossing areas.
Twenty-two vehicles have been sent to fight the fires — currently at Watch and Act status — that started up in bushland south of the hamlet of Wartook in western Victoria.
A Watch and Act warning was downgraded to an Advice warning at 7:50pm for a grassfire near Glenorchy, north-west of Stawell.
