Daily London
Ten major fires continue to burn through the landscape today more than a week after catastrophic conditions swept the state.
They includes three fires in Gippsland, a blaze in Mallacoota and the Longwood and Walwa infernos.
Eight watch and act warnings remain in place.
Three major fires have been brought under control including the Harcourt, Kennedy Creek and Wyperfeld blazes.
“Importantly, contained doesn’t mean they are entirely safe, but it means they should cause no further threat to communities at this point,” State Emergency Commissioner Tim Wiebusch said.
The total number of homes decimated by the fire has surged to 289 today, after 40 more properties were discovered flattened by the Longwood fire footprint.
Another 18 homes are significantly damaged across the state and more than 500 outbuildings have been damaged or destroyed.
Almost 100 impacted roads are still undergoing assessment before they can be safely reopened.
“We would ask people to make sure that you are visiting the Vic Traffic website and planning your journey and the route you may take if you are heading in and around those areas,” Wiebusch said.
“The state of disaster remains in place and we do not want visitors or tourists or spectators entering into those fire-affected areas.
“At this stage we should only see residents, or those that are supporting them to get on to their properties.”
Relief centres remain open in Mansfield, near the Longwood fire and Wodonga, near the Walwa fire.
Four recovery hubs are also operating in Castlemaine, Cobram, Beaufort and Skipton.
Firefighters are scrambling to control the remaining fires before the next “peak fire period”.
“At this stage it is looking like heightened fire danger will return to Victoria on Friday and Saturday next week, the 23rd and 24th of January,” Bureau of Meteorology Hazard Preparedness & Response Manager Diana Eadie said.
“Longer term, we are seeing the climate drivers indicate below average rainfall for the rest of the month and more near average for February and March, and warmer than average conditions throughout the period.”
