A family from Victoria is currently unaccounted for after a devastating bushfire tore through their residence, as authorities urge others in the area that it is now too dangerous to evacuate.

The fire, which erupted in Longwood, situated 150 kilometers north of Melbourne, has been raging since Wednesday. Efforts to control the blaze have been hindered by strong winds and soaring temperatures.

Authorities are actively searching for a man, a woman, and a child who, according to fire service officials, were advised on Thursday to seek immediate shelter as it was no longer safe to evacuate.

“Later that afternoon, fire service representatives returned to the area to inspect the property,” stated Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill on Friday.

“They observed the three individuals standing in front of their completely destroyed home,” he added. “As of now, these three individuals are still missing.”

“We currently have no information regarding their possible whereabouts,” Hill concluded.

‘That particular area in Longwood East where that house has been destroyed is still a hot spot, and we’re yet to be able to put the strike teams from the fire service into that area to conduct an assessment for us.’

He said firefighters are prioritising efforts to return to the property to ‘hopefully identify and find those three people safe and well’.

Officers are searching for a family of three in Longwood, who were last seen standing in front of their home which had been completely destroyed by a bushfire (pictured)

Residents in Ruffy shared photos of the sky red from flames and smoke

A photo taken by a passenger on a flight from Melbourne to Sydney flight showed a terrifying plume of smoke on Friday, illustrating the extent of the fires

Catastrophic fire risk ratings have been issued by the Country Fire Authority (CFA) for the Northern Country, North Central, Wimmera and South West districts. The rest of Victoria – the Mallee, Central, North East, and Gippsland – are at ‘extreme risk’. 

Authorities have warned it is ‘too late to leave’ for some communities near the Longwood fire, which has razed more than 44,000 hectares.

A separate fire near Walwa and Mount Lawson along the Victoria–NSW border has scorched more than 17,000 hectares.

Incident controller Aaron Kennedy has told reporters some Walwa locals have ignored warnings to try and save their homes.

‘A lot of the residents that we have spoken to – and Victoria Police has doorknocked many of them – have chosen to stay and defend their properties,’ he said, ABC reports.

‘That is not what we are recommending, particularly under today’s forecast conditions. If you are unable to defend your property by yourself, without the support of emergency services, we are asking you to leave the area now.’

A ‘take shelter now’ warning has also been issued for Caveat, Creightons Creek, Dropmore, Gobur, Gooram, Highlands, Kanumbra, Kelvin View, Locksley, Longwood, Longwood East, Ruffy, Strathbogie, Tarcombe, Terip Terip and Upton Hill.

These areas fall within the Strathbogie Shire, home to 11,739 people. 

‘Catastrophic’ fire risk ratings have been issued by the Country Fire Authority (CFA) for the Northern Country, North Central, Wimmera and South West districts 

The Longwood blaze is pictured on Thursday night 

The out-of-control blaze near Longwood, 150km north of Melbourne, has razed more than 35,000 hectares (pictured, devastation in the nearby town of Ruffy)

Max Furlanetto, from Ruffy – one of the worst-hit communities in the Longwood fire – said there has been significant destruction of beloved buildings. 

‘They’re sheds that have been around for 50 years… They’re not small things,’ he told ABC News. 

Mr Furlanetto, the owner of an excavation and earthworks business, is trying to source more equipment to remove fallen trees in surrounding areas.

A photo taken by a passenger on a flight from Melbourne to Sydney flight showed a terrifying plume of smoke on Friday. 

Smoke from the fires has spread to a large section of NSW’s southeast, including Snowy Monaro, Cooma, Bega and Merimbula.

CFA captain George Noye, who also lives in Ruffy, described the devastation. 

‘It’s like a bomb has gone off, we got smashed by the fire spots,’ he told the ABC, adding that a member of his crew is in hospital with third-degree burns to his hands.  

There are at least 20 properties believed to be destroyed, including the Tablelands Community Centre – a local hub converted from the former primary school. 

Ruffy, a locality in the Strathbogie Ranges about two hours from Melbourne, is one of the worst-affected areas of the Longwood fire

A community centre in Ruffy also caught fire

There were 30 active fires burning across Victoria on Friday morning

Some Victorians have been told it is too late to leave 

‘The school no longer operates but it was a community hub for us where a lot of stuff took place… it’s absolutely devastating to see it go,’ he said. 

‘We tried every trick in the book but we just couldn’t pull it up and when we knew Ruffy was gonna get impacted we fell back to the township.’

After briefly reopening on Friday morning, authorities had to close the Hume Freeway due to the Longwood fire.

Evacuees and those unable to avoid travel are advised to detour via the Goulburn Valley Highway and Murchison–Violet Town Road.

There is currently a power outage affecting 6,270 residents across the region, including Kyneton, Lancefield, Rochford and Newham. 

Powercor said power would be restored by 7.30pm Friday. 

Ambulance Victoria declared a ‘Red Escalation’ for Victoria’s South West, Wimmera, North Central and North Country regions from 7am Friday.

The declaration is issued when an incident has, or could have, a severe impact on everyday operations. 

Paramedics and first responders in catastrophic fire danger areas have been withdrawn and will only return for serious or life-threatening illnesses. 

Authorities said Victoria was facing its worst fire threat since the Black Summer fires in 2019- 2020. 

Flowerdale resident Patricia Thomas is seen at a community relief centre in Seymour

Emergency Management Victoria has mapped the potential spread of the Longwood fire in a worst-case scenario

Jan Newton and her dog are seen taking shelter at the community centre on Friday

‘It’s all going to be a very bad day,’ Little Yarra Country Fire Authority captain Peter Cookson said.

‘We all prepare for these days, and if nothing happens, that is a win. But you can’t say nothing will happen – with these things, they can all start from a spark.’

The bank ANZ has announced disaster relief support is available for customers impacted by bushfires in Victoria. 

This includes short-term payment relief on home loans, credit cards, personal loans and some business loans, though it may still charge you interest during that period.

It also said support measures will include waiving fees for restructuring business loans and for accessing term deposits early.

Those with ANZ Home and Contents Insurance may be eligible for emergency funds and temporary accommodation.

A major heatwave is sweeping across Australia’s southeast, with temperatures forecast to hit 43C in Melbourne and up to 47C in inland Victoria on Friday. 

The heat is expected to impact the ACT and NSW, where a total fire ban is in place for the eastern Riverina, southern Riverina, southern slopes and Monaro alpine regions. 

Authorities said Victoria was facing its worst fire threat since the Black Summer fires in 2019

Fire Crews from Little Yarra CFA are seen

Firefighters also continue to battle a bushfire burning in the Mount Lawson State Park 

Temperatures will not be quite as high in NSW, with Sydney set to reach a maximum of 33C and Canberra expected to hit a high of 39C.

Conditions are expected to worsen in the Harbour City on Saturday, with temperatures forecast to reach 42C and even higher in the western suburbs. 

NSW Ambulance chief superintendent Steve Vaughan has residents to prepare for the hot conditions and stay cool, hydrated, and indoors during the hottest part of the day.

‘Heatwaves put real pressure on your body, with consecutive days of relentless heat causing stress that builds up over time,’ he said.