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The great north-eastern Victorian
bushfires reached villages in the upper snowfields with devastating
effect, while on the other side of the fires a number of towns were
in severe danger. At least 16 homes are feared destroyed in the
Australian Day onslaught, the worst day yet for the bushfires which
have been burning for 19 days.
After snow so late in the season, this is
a harsh change for the citizens of the towns affected. People have
pulled together to battle the flames in an area not usually affected
by bushfires, these some of the worst in memory.
Homes and property damaged
Six houses and a car were razed in the famous Mt Hotham ski village.
Another six homes were lost at the historic Cobungra station, about
15 kilometres west of Omeo, including at least part of the View
Estate holiday village. Three were burnt north of Benambra and at
least one was destroyed near Omeo. Two vital bridges near Benambra,
the Livingstone and Hinnomunjie Bridge over the Mitta Mitta River,
were on fire and shearing sheds and livestock were lost.
But Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) spokesman
Ian Miles said the day - with winds of 70kph and temperatures into
the 40s - could have been much worse. "All those losses are obviously
very distressing for us but under the extreme conditions - particularly
with the high winds - I'd say we've done pretty well," Mr Miles
said. He said days of preparation and drawing containment lines
around Omeo and Benambra had minimised losses. "It really was a
firestorm. You've got burning embers sparking into grasslands and
other areas around the towns and people have been working very hard
to keep them under control. It's been consistent since about 11
o'clock this morning."
Two fires joining up to make massive front
Mr Miles said the two major fires menacing the northeast, the Pinnibar
and Bogong, were still about two kilometres apart but likely to
form a massive 120km front as soon as tomorrow. The neighbouring
hamlets of Wandiligong and Harrietville were tonight nervously watching
for the approach of the Buffalo and Bogong fires "It is just a waiting
game, it is going to be a sleepless night I think," Wandiligong
resident Donna Allen said.
Ash was early this evening raining down on
Harrietville. The CFA has dug containment lines and was camped on
the outskirts of Harrietville waiting to protect the town when the
fire comes down the mountain. Carolyn Cameron from the DSE in Benalla
said a south westerly wind was expected in the area about 9pm (AEDT).
"It is not a good situation in the Wandiligong area, there are a
number of communities under the hammer," Ms Cameron said. To the
east, fire swept through the tiny town of Dartmouth this afternoon,
singeing cattle, blistering paint and blazing in every backyard.
Miraculously no property in the town was destroyed, but Dartmouth's
51 residents are now without television after their repeater station
near Benambra burnt to the ground. "It turned to shit this afternoon
very, very quickly," a CFA volunteer who did not want to be named
told AAP.
Locals safe in the pub
About 100 locals, holidaymakers and DSE staff took refuge in the
Dartmouth pub as the fire raged through the town at about 4pm (AEDT)
and came within 50 metres of the pub. He said the ordeal was also
not over for nearby towns. "Mitta Mitta is under severe threat and
we could be down there to help them out," he said. Omeo in the south
was saved from destruction tonight by a change of wind.
The cool southerly winds forced the massive blaze back on itself,
giving the town a massive reprieve. Only one house was lost and
the flames came within 500 metres of the main township, but the
town which razed by bushfire in 1939 was tonight counting its blessings.
"The wind came came at just at the right time - the front would
have been about half a kilometre away, and that's bloody close in
the bush," Florence De Vries, manager of the town's Snug as a Bug
bed and breakfast, said. It was amazing ... suddenly everything
went cool and the flames changed."
Firefighters threatened in Hotham
CFA spokesman John Tindall said three strike teams of firefighters
were cut off by fire in Mt Hotham, but were safe. Bureau of Meteorology
senior forecaster Ward Rooney said the south-west change had reached
Mt Buller by 8pm (AEDT), and was likely to have covered the whole
state by early tomorrow morning. He said it would bring strong south-west
winds, fanning fires back toward towns they had already passed.
"In terms of putting out fires it's a non event," Mr Rooney said."
It will certainly be much better conditions in terms of firefighting
tomorrow then it has been today but the only real relief will come
with rain and that doesn't look likely."
[Source: Herald Sun]
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