Good morning and welcome to our ongoing coverage of the bushfire crisis in Victoria and the tropical cyclone affecting Queensland.
Three bushfires have reached emergency status, currently raging in Longwood in central Victoria, Walwa in the north-east, and the Carlisle River area in the Otways. The fires have devastated approximately 300,000 hectares and destroyed 115 structures, including numerous homes.
While conditions have shown a slight improvement today, the situation remains precarious as firefighting crews continue to battle challenging conditions.
In Queensland, Tropical Cyclone Koji is on the verge of making landfall. Although it has been downgraded to a category one cyclone, it is anticipated to reach the Queensland coast near Ayr, just north of Bowen, within the next three to five hours.
Stay tuned for the most recent updates as the situation unfolds.
