Statewide total fire ban declared as Boxing Day scorcher looms

Vic Emergency Incident Controller Mark Gunning described Thursday’s conditions as a “different beast”, where strong gusts could see the fire move 20 kilometres in less than 20 minutes.

“If this fire jumps containment lines, you’re not going to have a lot of time … you’re not going to have time to think,” Gunning told a community meeting of residents gathered in Moyston, 30 kilometres south-east of Halls Gap.

He warned locals of the potential harm posed by the fire, with radiant heat, falling tree branches, and thick smoke among the dangers.

“There’s kids here and I’m not trying to scare them, but adults get scared when that sort of stuff happens and that’s natural,” said Gunning. “The only way to guarantee your safety in a high bushfire risk area … is not be there.”

On Thursday, temperatures in Halls Gap are expected to peak in the low 30s, but nearby Ararat and Stawell could reach the high 30s, said the Bureau of Meteorology’s Belinda House.

“But … we’re going to see a lot more wind,” said House.

“Hot windy conditions just fuel those fires along and then … the concern becomes on days such as Thursday that the winds are going to change in direction.”

Wind will initially pick up from the north-west before a westerly wind change is expected in the late afternoon.

“What happens then if there are fires burning and you’ve had the wind coming from one direction, suddenly, that wind can change in direction and the fire starts burning in a different direction,” said House.

Additional firefighters are coming from interstate to assist Victorian crews on Boxing Day, with most of the state at risk that day.

“The difficulty that we’re going to have on Boxing Day is that extreme fire danger is across most of the state,” said Heffernan.

“Firefighters will need to be alert right across the state, and so, too, will communities because it’s just going to be one of those days.”