An emergency warning has been issued for a fire at Mount Buffalo, in Victoria's Alpine Region, with erratic southerly winds creating spot fires that are threatening communities.
Key points:
- An incident controller said wind speeds of up to 50kph combined with fire activity could "significantly" increase the fire's intensity
- People in communities south of Myrtleford are being urged to leave the area for the afternoon
- For the latest emergency information, visit the Vic Emergency website
Authorities have urged people at Buffalo Creek, Buffalo River, Merriang, Merriang South, and Nug Nug to head north to avoid the fire, which has been burning around the north-western side of Mount Buffalo for days.
The emergency warning, issued at about 6:20pm, said the fire was spotting into the Nug Nug area and was travelling in a northerly direction up the Buffalo Valley.
Fire crews and aircraft are actively working on the fire.
An evacuation warning, issued around midday, said if the fire started to produce its own convection column there would be "high potential" for spotting into the Buffalo Valley.
A relief centre is open at the Myrtleford Senior Citizens Centre on Smith Street, while the Latchford Barracks in Bonegilla is full and no longer accepting people.
Christine Andersen said conditions were bad when she left her property at Buffalo River around midday.
"I couldn't see much in front of me from the smoke, [there was] ash everywhere and you could see the fires through the smoke down the road," she said.
She is staying with her sister in nearby Myrtleford.
It is the third time she has been evacuated this season.
"I'm just renting so I'm not going to stay … it would be awful to wake up in the middle of the night and have flames round the place," she said.
"It's just being cautious, really."
Incident controller Michael Masters told ABC Goulburn-Murray wind speeds of up to 50kph combined with fire activity would increase the fire's intensity "significantly".
"For local residents, they would be well aware of what I'm talking about between three and four o'clock yesterday afternoon there was a really large plume development over the top of Mount Buffalo," he said.
Mr Masters said intense heat would create a convection column, caused by air moving rapidly upwards and sucking fuel up with it, such as leaf litter, bark and small twigs.
"And the risk of that is there's a lot of small pieces of burning material suspended in the atmosphere," he said.
"The convection column can push through the inversion layer and actually lean over or be pushed over by the wind and those pieces of burning material can drop out in front of the fire front and start new fires."
Evacuating area 'the safest option'
Mr Masters said he hoped ordering people to evacuate towards Myrtleford was "an overreaction".
"But given the topography there and the fact that there's only really one road in, and one road out, for those communities, it's the safest option."
He said it was possible wind speeds combined with spot fires could stop people reaching safety, and he was not willing to take that risk.
"And I don't think the community would want to accept that risk either," he said.
"Hence the recommendation to move while we still have time to an area that's safe.
"Go and do a bit of shopping, go and visit the pool or go and watch a movie in Wangaratta. But at least you'll be safe."
Mount Buffalo Chalet being protected
Despite fears circulating online, Mr Masters confirmed the Mount Buffalo Chalet had not been damaged.
Asset protection was undertaken to ensure the chalet and other infrastructure such as Telstra towers were safe, he said.
"We've removed all the fine fuels from around those buildings and outbuildings and prepared them as best we can an eventuation of fire occurring near them."
Other asset protection strategies include turning on sprinkler systems, filling water tanks and a 300,000 litre swimming pool, and deploying lines of fire retardant around the Chalet and other assets.
Historical items of significance were also removed and placed in secure storage.
Mr Masters said firefighters understood the historical significance of the Chalet "and its deep connection within the broader community".
"That said, the preservation of the life, of both residents and firefighters, remains our highest priority and will not be compromised," he said.
The fire has a perimeter of approximately 550 kilometres and is being managed from the Ovens Incident Control Centre.
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