Supply kits last resort for Vics
EMERGENCY services have taken the unprecedented step of storing essential supplies in large containers in Victorian tourist hot spots Bright and Harrietville amid concerns the towns could be cut off by ferocious bushfires devastating the region.
Provisions such as food, water, torches and even satellite phones have been packed in protected sites to be ready in the aftermath of fires, the state’s Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville said.
“They are key things to enable the community to get by in the first 24-48 hours,” Ms Neville said.
The move comes as fire crews in the state’s northeast and alpine regions last night prepared for a potentially disastrous wind change.
Most of the east of the state is in virtual lockdown as 21 fires show little sign of abating.
Blazes around Mt Buffalo, Cann River and areas around Bruthen and Buchan were causing the most concern for authorities late yesterday.
About 1.3 million hectares have now been burnt – almost three times as much as Black Saturday in 2009.
The total length of all the Victorian fire zone perimeters was more than 7600km – about the distance from Melbourne to Bangkok.
One “Evacuate Now” and 10 “Emergency” warnings were in place last night.
So far 286 homes and 400 other buildings have been damaged. Premier Daniel Andrews said blocked roads and poor visibility had hampered attempts to enter fireravaged areas.
Poor air quality warnings were issued for the northeast, East Gippsland, West and South Gippsland and the Central and North Central regions.
Despite the cool change, residents still needed to be aware of local conditions and the instructions and information for their areas.
Mr Andrews said 240,000 SMS messages were sent in the past 24 hours to people in the fire zone.
The Victorian death toll remains at three and no one is listed as missing.
Victoria’s emergency management commissioner Andrew Crisp said there were concerns for people around Whitfield, Wandiligong and Harrietville.
No new fires started yesterday and no dry lightning had been detected, he said.
Mr Andrews thanked residents and tourists who had left the area because it freed up resources to concentrate on the firefight.
People in Omeo were on high alert last night as a wind change was expected to intensify fires in the area.
Earlier in the day, firefighters battled a fire in the hills along the Great Alpine Rd, 15km southwest of Omeo.
FIRE storms were on the march through the Snowy Mountains and Southern Highlands last night on a day in which the Rural Fire Service confirmed the number of homes lost in NSW was just shy of 2000 and certain to rise.
Homes were last night razed near Bundanoon about 6.30pm, with heavy losses expected overnight.
Thousands of firefighters, including Tony Abbott, who was on duty in Adaminaby, were fighting blazes in the alpine regions, Southern Highlands and south coast with a southerly driving flames towards towns.
Three fires in the southeast region of NSW were threatening to join to create a mega blaze in worsening conditions with southerly winds over 90km/h expected overnight.
As of last night, the fire season had claimed 1995 homes and 5.2 million hectares of land in NSW.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Australian military was on standby to help firefighters and emergency agencies in the wake of last night’s southerly change.
Before heading out, Mr Abbott said he hoped the predicted conditions would not eventuate.
“I’m one of 70,000 RFS volunteers – let’s hope all of us stay safe and do good work,” he said.
In the small village of Towamba in southern NSW, most residents had evacuated by yesterday, after firefighters warned them that without a solid defence against the blazes, they should leave, said John Nightingale, a volunteer firefighter.
The RFS warned that coastal towns including Eden, Batemans Bay and Nowra could again be under threat.