STAY
HOME, EVERYWHERE OPEN WILL BE PACKED TO THE HILT!
Holiday spots to be closed
Victorians may have to rethink Australia Day plans as holiday spots will be closed because of the bushfires that continue burning out of control.
The CFA said yesterday road closures would prevent access to Baw Baw National Park, Moondarra State Park, Boola Boola,
Walhalla, Thompson Valley, Aberfeldy,
Tanjil Bren, Rawson and Erica. The public also has been advised to avoid the
Grampians,
Brisbane Ranges, Mount Eccles and Kinglake national parks, and state forests in the
Grampians and at Moe and
Yea.
Firefighters were trying to bring the state's main fires — in the
Grampians, at
Anakie, north of Geelong, and in Gippsland — under control yesterday before a return to searing temperatures and northerly winds tomorrow.
CFA deputy chief fire officer Graham Fountain said the
Grampians fire, which has burnt 100,000 hectares since last week, was of most concern. Residents in
Pomonal were preparing to evacuate late yesterday as the fire flared up after coming within 500 metres of the tourist town of
Halls Gap on Monday night.
Premier Steve Bracks flew to
Halls Gap to announce a $100,000 package for farmers hit by the
Grampians fires. Mr Bracks said existing emergency relief money for victims would be supplemented by the package put together with the Victorian Farmers Federation. The package would be available immediately and support farmers with transport, logistic and agistment costs caused by bushfire.
A fire burning in dense bush on Mount Little Joe, 2½ kilometres from
Warburton, was under control last night. The fire burnt almost one hectare and may have been lit by children.
Senior weather forecaster Ken Dickinson said a change was expected to reach western Victoria late tomorrow but may not get to the
Grampians or northern and eastern parts of the state.
He said temperatures were heating up, with Horsham, which had reports of ember attack yesterday from the
Grampians fire, facing 35 degrees today and 42 degrees tomorrow.
"When you look at these sort of temperatures and wind speeds that we're contemplating, we'll be looking at hot, very high or extreme fire danger on Thursday at most
places," he said.
Firefighters were working to contain potentially threatening spot fires in the Kinglake National Park late yesterday.
Residents were advised to enact fire plans as two helicopters and an plane conducted fire-bombing operations.
The CFA's Mr Fountain said the Moondarra fire in Gippsland continued "bubbling" within its perimeter yesterday and had burnt 12,700 hectares. Mr Fountain said firefighters hoped to be in control soon of the other major fire, in
Anakie.
■ Six CFA volunteer firefighters were the victims of a burglary as they slept in a Traralgon motel on Monday night. A thief who entered their rooms at Murphy's Motor Inn between 10.30 and 11pm took wallets, mobile phones and clothes