Victorian bushfires

Picture: Jon Hargest

Fire threat to escalate

Jordan Chong
December 6, 2006 - 12:44PM

Victorian authorities have warned residents in the state's north-east and Gippsland regions of a potential 600,000 hectare blaze this weekend as northerly winds and forecast heat combine to create potentially disastrous conditions.

"We want people south of these fires ... to be ready later on in the week and next week if this fire comes down and impacts on their property," Department of Sustainability and Environment spokesman Kevin Monk said.

"We trying to get people to think not just 'the fire is going to burn me today' but to think ... 'that fire could come down next week, what am I doing to prepare for that'?"

Premier Steve Bracks also appealed to residents in the affected regions to attend community meetings and prepare for the prospect of bushfires threatening their homes.

"The fires we're now facing will be threatening towns. The threats will escalate over the weekend,'' Mr Bracks told reporters at the Country Fire Authority headquarters in Melbourne.

"It's going to be one of our most difficult fire weekends ever in the history of this state.

"We're already fronting a very, very difficult fire but it's going to be made worse.''

Up to 50 fires have been burning in the north-east and Gippsland regions since lightning strikes last Friday.

The largest fire is at Mt Darling, about 30 kilometres north-west of Dargo, where 10,000 hectares has been scorched.

Mr Monk said some fires, including the Mt Darling blaze, had joined together overnight, as predicted.

Fire crews would focus on protecting assets and property and trying to establish control lines around the fires, Mr Monk said.

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For information on Victorian bushfires, see:
Department of Sustainability and Environment - Fire and Other Emergencies
Country Fire Authority
Metropolitan Fire Brigade