I've been asked to update readers on the situation in Orbost. Sadly, we don't have a lot of information at this stage. We do know bushfire ran through the town. The town has lost power. Other than that, we don't know much. We will update the situation as soon as we know more.
Here's the current emergency warning, issued as of 6.07am
This Emergency Warning is being issued for Bellbird Creek, Bete Bolong, Brodribb River, Cabbage Tree Creek, Cape Conran, Corringle, Jarrahmond, Manorina, Marlo, Murrungowar, Newmerella, Nurran, Orbost, Simpsons Creek, Tabbara and Waygara.
- This bushfire has impacted Orbost and surrounding communities.
- Ash and embers are falling in nearby communities which can potentially start spot fires.
- The Princes Highway is closed between Bairnsdale and Genoa.
- The wind has shifted to a south-westerly direction.
- This fire is threatening homes and lives.
- The Orbost Cricket Club in Nicholson Street has been set up as an assembly area for those in nearby communities who wish to gather within the township if you do not have any safer options.
Don Ashby just spoke to ABC Gippsland. He's in Mallacoota, defending his property as a huge bushfire rages towards town.
He says the CFA told the people in the town - about 4000 of them standing on the foreshore - that when the trucks activated their sirens, the townsfolk should get under the water.
“The sirens just went off," he says.
“You can see nothing. It is like the darkest, darkest night. You can hear the fire, it's roaring away. We’re getting a lot of ash falling.”
Don says his house is about three to four kilometres away from the fire front, and about two kilometres to the north of the town.
“Unless you’ve got [a mask] you’ll be in trouble. A lot of people are using wet tea towels. And that works, but you cannot get enough air in," he says.=
If the fire hits his house, he plans to get in the car and drive to the foreshore.
Franchesca from the local community radio station just called into the ABC to say her station -, which was broadcasting emergency information - has just lost power.
"My home is in the fire path. I won't have a home. That's just how it's going to be. We have to try to remain calm. We have maybe 20 per cent visibility. But I'd rather be alive than be at home."
Emergency Management Victoria just issued an updated emergency warning for Mallacoota - it says fire is likely to impact the town within the next 30 minutes.
Here's the warning:
This Emergency Warning is being issued for Mallacoota, Gipsy Point, Karbeethong, Tamboon, Club Terrace, Combienbar and surrounds.
- This Emergency Warning replaces the Emergency Warning issued at 10.40pm on 30/12/2019.
- There are currently two bushfires that are not yet under control.
- One fire is currently travelling from Wingan River in an easterly direction towards Karbeethong with spotting ahead of the fire. The Fire front is predicted to impact the Mallacoota township within the next 30 minutes.
- The second fire is travelling from Goongerah in a south easterly direction towards Chandlers Creek
- Ash and embers are falling ahead of the main fires, which may cause spot fires.
MALLACOOTA-This message is for people at Mallacoota and surrounding communities
One fire is currently travelling from Wingan River in an easterly direction towards Karbeethong with spotting ahead of the fire. The Fire front is predicted to impact the Mallacoota township within the next 30 minutes.It is too late to leave , the safest option is to shelter indoors.An assembly area has been established at the Mallacoota Main Community Hall at Allan Drive.The Genoa-Mallacoota Road is closed.
Returning to Mallacoota where a critical situation continues to develop.
Brendan is tweeting from Mallacoota. He says that it is pitch black in the town as fire surrounds it and thick smoke blankets it. All he can hear is the roar of the approaching flames - and now the sound of fire sirens.
Other reports suggest some 4000 people are on the jetty and foreshore at Mallacoota where they are being protected by several CFA firetrucks. The CFA told us they expected the fire to enter the town's boundaries about an hour ago.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology's weather gauge at Mallacoota is showing 49 degrees, with winds gusting up to 80km/h. That gives you a bit of an idea of the conditions.
A cooler westerly change crossed the firegrounds from 1am, only reaching Mallacoota at 5am, Rachel Eddie reports.
The change is expected to weaken by the time it reaches the north-east later this morning. The Albury Wodonga region was still hot at 33 degrees about 7.30am on Tuesday with relative humidity only at 10 per cent.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Michael Efron said there wouldn't be a dramatic drop in temperatures, but winds will slow to moderate from the south-south west.
The fires were creating their own weather systems, but lightning had dropped off as the cool change crept into East Gippsland.
Despite the thunderstorms, Mr Efron said no significant showers would bless the area.
"But that is good news in terms of temperature, moisture levels and wind strength as well," Mr Efron said.
At the moment, the situation in Mallacoota seems the most alarming.
The town is entirely cut off by a huge fire burning east towards it, which is expected to impact the town about now.
We know about 4000 holidaymakers are on the beach. There are reports the CFA has formed a protective ring around them to protect them.
In Melbourne, a large number of homes and traffic lights have lost power, causing chaos.
About 40 sets of traffic lights have lost power in the city's west, including Caroline Springs, Sunshine North, St Albans, Footscray, Kings Park and Maribyrnong.
PowerCor and AusNet are both showing thousands of power outages across Melbourne, plus several towns - including Orbost and Mallacoota - without power due to the bushfires. About 7000 homes in Sunshine are without power, along with 3300 in St Albans.
Rhonda from the small town of Buchan, in East Gippsland, is speaking to ABC Gippsland right now.
She says fire burned through the town, destroying several houses. An emergency warning is still current for the area. The power is out and mobile phones are down.
“We got hit pretty hard here at Buchan," she said. "We were basically surrounded by fire. It lit up everywhere. There were grass fires happening, running uphill and downhill. Thank goodness we had a few CFA strike teams here, they were flat out.
“Those people outside of Buchan, they were on their own. My brother at East Buchan had most of his property burned. He said it was like Armageddon out there.
“As far as I know, everyone’s safe. But we lost electricity lastnight, we’re in the dark. Our mobile phones stopped.
“we have lost a few houses, I believe.
“Everywhere I could see Buchan was on fire."
Closer to Melbourne, a small bushfire at Mill Park yesterday took firefighters by surprise, refusing to go out and then damaging three houses. The fire was declared under control about 6.20pm last night.
CFA crews fight a grass fire in Plenty Gorge Park in Mill Park.Credit:Justin McManus
Ange Vlahopoulos, who lives in Clovemont Way in Bundoora, across the road from Plenty Gorge, watched as the fire started burning towards his home.
“The fire was way in the distance this morning. Then the wind just picked up and out of nowhere the whole area over the road was on fire.
“Before you knew it, there was smoke everywhere and flames.”
Mr Vlahopoulos said fire trucks were parked out the front of his home and spraying the burnt grass stubble but conditions remained “very windy, it’s sort of blowing around in every direction”.
"Because of the smoke, you can’t see further than two doors down," he said. "I'm lucky there's a fire hydrant in front of my home."
Read more from Ashleigh McMillan and Melissa Cunningham here.
On the far eastern tip of the state lies the small holiday town of Mallacoota. It is entirely hemmed in by lakes to the east and the ocean to the west, and accessible via only a single paved road.
A large bushfire - big enough to generate its own lightning - was bearing down on the town last night, leaving some 4000 holidaymakers stranded on the Mallacoota foreshore. The CFA expected the fire to reach the outskirts of the town at daybreak today.
The situation in Mallacoota as of 7.26amCredit: Emergency Management Victoria
Jo Grant, who retired to the fishing and camping mecca three years ago, was on Monday night preparing to take shelter with her husband, daughter and grandchild.
She planned to go to bed with her phone and the radio switched on but didn’t expect to get much sleep.
“We’re walking up and down and my bags are packed,’’ she told The Age. “It’s hot and it’s smoky and we’re just on the cusp of a wind change. We’re in such a vulnerable place here.”
Ms Grant said if fire threatened to overrun the town, her refuge of last resort would be the wharf area along the waterfront.
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