Raging fires continue to threaten homes and residents in East Gippsland, Victoria as of Monday night. Further inland in Victoria, in Buchan, locals said the town was almost completely surrounded by blazes. Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said: “It is unpredictable, it’s dangerous out there.
“A fire that started mid afternoon moved about 24km (14 miles) within four or five hours as the wind changed direction.
“It put up a column, punching into the atmosphere 14km (8 miles) high.
“These columns are generating their own weather.
“There’s lightning coming out of these columns.
“People need to stay tuned to their local conditions and stay across that information so they can make good decisions.”
Emergency services warned residents and holidaymakers on Sunday to leave East Gippsland, where two out-of-control bushfires merged early on Monday morning.
This message shifted as roads closed and changing conditions sparked new fires.
Police minister Lisa Neville said: “The highly recommended strategy is do not be on the roads.
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The Great Alpine Road in Victoria between Bruthen and Ensay could be shut for up to a fortnight.
With fourteen fires burning across the region and 11 emergency alerts in Victoria’s far east and northeast as one volunteer firefighter has been killed and two other crew members fighting a blaze in New South Wales.
The volunteer firefighter, 28-year-old Samuel McPaul, was killed and two other members of the crew were injured.
A 39-year-old passenger was airlifted to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne in a serious condition suffering burns.
The driver, 52, was treated at the scene before being taken to Holbrook Hospital for minor injuries and has since been released.
The volunteer’s death takes the toll to 10 for Australia’s most recent bushfire season.
Conditions are set to worsen as a dangerous cool change producing powerful winds moves across the state.
Temperatures are forecast to drop to the mid-20s, and high-speed winds are expected to push fires in a north-easterly direction, putting areas towards the coast, including Bruthen and Lakes Entrance, at risk.
More than 70 new fires were ignited in Victoria on Monday, and more than 20 of those are still ongoing.