In a concerted effort to combat a significant bushfire raging 25 kilometers west of Walwa, near Wodonga, twelve waterbombing aircraft have joined forces with over 300 firefighting crews along the NSW border.

This afternoon, the fire’s trajectory altered, shifting from a southeasterly to a southerly direction. It is currently advancing through Mt Lawson State Park, heading towards the areas of Bungil, Granya, and Thologolong.

Authorities have issued urgent evacuation notices for residents in these areas, advising them to leave immediately via Murray River Road towards Wodonga. The risk to properties is substantial, as highlighted by VicEmergency, which has stressed the necessity of prompt evacuation.

“Leaving immediately is the safest option, before conditions become too dangerous,” VicEmergency cautioned. “Emergency services may not be able to assist you if you choose to stay.”

“Leaving immediately is the safest option, before conditions become too dangerous,” VicEmergency warned.

“Emergency services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay.”

The inferno has forced the closure of several roads in the area, including Murray River Road between Granya Gap Road and Guys Forest Road, as well as Guys Forest Road, between the Murray River Road and Burrowye Road intersection.

They will remain open for local traffic to evacuate, VicEmergency said.

Earlier this morning, CFA and Fire Forest Management Victoria (FFMV) crews undertook “very successful” backburning activities last night, using 30 bulldozers to combat the spread of the blaze.

“The idea is to remove those fuels under the night conditions overnight so that we’re not having those areas burn in the heat of the day with strong northerly winds behind them,” CFA incident controller Aaron Kennedy said.

Despite building a 60 km control line to limit the spread of the blaze, a “significant area of unburned fuel” between backburned land and the fire itself has authorities on alert.

“We are working today with our aircraft and the firefighters on the ground to ensure that as that area burns out, we can try and reduce the overall fire intensity,” Kennedy said.

“With the resources we’ve got, we’re pretty confident we can at least monitor and maintain the backburn operations in place.”

Elevated fire conditions, including intense heat and a forecast wind change on Friday, could see the fire surge in size and intensity, Kennedy warned.

“We are asking community members to remain vigilant, but particularly landholders in those affected areas, in the Burrowye area, in Bungil, in the Thologolong area, to make sure they are preparing to make sure their property is prepared for a fire, “Kennedy said.

A caravan on a private property was lost to the Walwa fire, Kennedy said.

There has been no other loss of property, livestock or human life.

‘Uncontrollable’ fires could start as conditions set to intensify

Victorians will continue to bear the brunt of extreme heat and hot northerly winds into the weekend, as emergency services warn of the risk of unsuppressible fires across the state.

The state’s north, including the Mallee and Northern Country districts will continue to swelter into the mid 40s tomorrow, with 20 to 40 km/h winds likely.

Subsequently, a Total Fire ban will be declared for the Mallee, North-Central, North-East and Northern Country from midnight tonight.

South of the Great Dividing Range, a southerly wind change is expected to provide a short reprieve from the heat, with a top of 30 degrees forecast in Melbourne tomorrow.

The mercury will again climb across the state on Friday, with a top of 40 degrees forecast for Melbourne and 45 for Mildura.

Fire conditions are expected to reach “the upper end of extreme” across the entire state of Victoria on Friday, CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan warned.

Authorities fear those conditions, coupled with increasing hot northerly winds and the risk of dry lightning, could spark fires that are “beyond people’s capacity to stop”.

“Fires under these conditions are uncontrollable,” Heffernan said. 

“If a fire takes, it will spread very quickly.”

FFMVic Chief Fire Officer Chris Hardman feared Friday’s conditions could see “lots of assets lost”.

“With the conditions we have ahead of us, these fires will not be able to be suppressed,” he said.

Victorians are urged not to travel unnecessarily on Friday, to stay hydrated and have a fire plan in place.

“The safest option on Friday in particular is not ot be in bushland areas and to leave [fire-prone areas] early, preferably in the early hours of the morning,” Heffernan said.

‘Take shelter now’: Third Victorian bushfire threatens lives

An emergency warning has been issued for Longwood, near Puckapunyal, where a bushfire is travelling from the Hume Freeway in a south-easterly direction towards Longwood-Ruffy Road.

Residents in Longwood, Longwood East, Ruffy, Tarcombe and Upton Hill are urged to take immediate shelter.

“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive,” VicEmergency said.

“The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately. It is too late to leave.

“You must take shelter now.”

Moyreisk fire downgraded 

The fire is burning out of control on the Sunraysia Highway in the Northern Grampians Shire, about 100km west of Bendigo in Victoria’s Central-West district.

Nearly four dozen fire crews are battling the blaze, which is travelling from the north in a south-easterly direction towards Moyreisk, a rural town with 31 residents.

Residents in Moyreisk, Natte Yallock, Redbank and Stuart Mill were told to evacuate south along the Sunraysia Highway towards Ballarat around midday.

The Sunraysia Highway is closed to the public but open for people leaving the area.

“The Peacock Road and Coates road could be impacted anytime,” VicEmergency said.

“Leaving immediately is the safest option, before conditions become too dangerous.”

That warning has been downgraded to a watch and act.

Temperatures are expected to reach into the mid-40s across parts of Victoria, with a high of 42 degrees forecast for Melbourne.