Key Takeaways
- A bushfire in western Melbourne, Victoria, has prompted an evacuation order for communities near the Grampians National Park.
- The fire has spread in multiple directions, posing a significant threat to resident safety.
- Crews are working hard to contain the fires before a heatwave that is forecast to last from Saturday until Tuesday.
Sydney: Authorities in southeast Australia have ordered communities to evacuate as bushfires in western Melbourne, the capital city of Australia’s state of Victoria, continue to spread.
Emergency services have urged residents of four small towns near the Grampians National Park to leave immediately due to a nearby out-of-control fire.
A warning issued by VicEmergency shortly after 7:30 a.m. local time said that there was a significant increase in fire activity overnight that caused a fire burning along the national park’s western edge to spread in multiple directions.
“Leaving immediately is the safest option, before conditions become too dangerous. Emergency services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay,” it said.
Residents of three more towns to the east of the fire, which was sparked on Monday by dry lightning, have been told that leaving now is the safest option.
Incident controller Peter Western told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that the fire had increased in size to 7,000 hectares overnight despite mild conditions.
He said that it has burnt through some private property at the western edge of the park.
Communities near a second fire in the national park’s north have been told to monitor changing conditions and prepare to evacuate.
He added that crews were working hard to contain the fires before a heatwave that is forecast to last from Saturday until Tuesday.
