Three significant fires that burned overnight in East Gippsland are likely to grow in size today and could cross the Princes Highway, emergency services have warned.
Key points:
- About 40,000 people were told to evacuate East Gippsland yesterday ahead of extreme fire danger today
- Temperatures across the state are expected to hit at least 40 degrees Celsius
- For the latest emergency information, visit the Vic Emergency website
There is a total fire ban in place for the entire state.
Fires have already shut the Great Alpine and Bonang roads and part of the Princes Highway from Cann River to Genoa on the border of New South Wales.
Authorities are warning new fires could be ignited by lightning strikes in dry, drought-affected forests.
The fire danger for Monday is rated as extreme in the Mallee, Wimmera, south-west, central, north-central and Northern Country districts, and severe for East Gippsland and the north-east.
Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Kevin Parkyn said yesterday that Monday was "likely to be a significant fire weather day in Victoria's history", with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius across much of the state, including in East Gippsland.
"Monday will be the hottest day in the current heatwave sequence," he said.
Mr Parkyn said conditions would be made more dangerous by a wind change which would move across the state this afternoon and evening.
"The wind change is very problematic … because it lights up the whole flanks of fires very quickly," he said.
Thousands of holidaymakers were told to evacuate East Gippsland on Sunday after authorities said fires could close the Princes Highway, the last remaining major road, and trap anyone left in the area.
Despite the warnings, residents and tourists in the popular coastal town Lakes Entrance chose to stay.
A petrol station attendant told the ABC he had the day off and was looking forward to spending it inside his Lakes Entrance house with his dog and keeping the air conditioner on.
One woman said in a tweet on Sunday that her hotel staff told her everything would be fine.
Extreme heat also forced organisers of Falls Festival to cancel the annual music festival on Sunday morning.
About 9,000 people were forced to pack up and leave the area, leaving them thousands of dollars out of pocket.
The three East Gippsland fires have burnt more than 100,000 hectares since starting on November 21.
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