A person has been killed in Victoria's Grampians bushfire.
A WOMAN has died and more lives could be lost as out-of-control bushfires burn through thousands of hectares across Victoria, authorities say.
Massive bushfires in the Grampians and Gippsland and dozens of other blazes across the state have been fanned by soaring temperatures and strong winds amid the most dangerous fire conditions since Black Saturday.
The death of the woman in the Grampians is being investigated by the police arson squad.
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6.22PM: Speaking on the unfolding fire events, Premier Denis Napthine said:
"I am disappointed that people haven't taken the message (to evacuate)," he said.
"We had an unfortunate tragedy at Roses Gap where a local resident stayed when they were given advice to leave and they lost their life.
"That should be a very, very salient lesson to everybody that when you are told to leave, when you are told there is a huge risk to your life and property, then your life is worth saving by leaving early and making sure that you are safe.
"The threat is not over, there are 70 ongoing fires and particularly there are significant fires still in the Grampians, potentially in the Black Range ... in western Victoria, northwestern Victoria in the Mallee and in very large fires in Gippsland."
He said he was "shocked, appalled and disgusted" of reports some fires may have been deliberately lit.
"The is no words that can be used to describe the lowlife that would light fires in these situations," he said.
"They are putting lives at risk, lives of ordinary citizens, they're putting the lives of CFA volunteers, of MFB and CFA professionals."
He thanked emergency services and volunteers.
6.19PM: Fires burning for days across 40,000 hectares in Victoria's north-west Mallee region are expected to continue through the weekend.
Several bushfires are burning out of control in the Mallee with firefighters bracing for the aftermath of Friday afternoon's strong wind change.
Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said the fires were now 40,000 hectares in size.
He said it would be a very difficult fire for firefighters once the strong south-westerly wind change moved through.
"We could only hope that they get on top of it by the end of the day but our assessment is this fire will continue to be a going fire into tomorrow and the weekend."
Nine aircraft are supporting about 250 firefighters in the battle to control the blazes occurring mainly in parkland and reserves.
Hopetoun West, Hopevale and Kenmare were also put on an emergency alert for Friday evening with a bushfire headed south from Paradise Flora and Fauna Reserve towards Kenmare.
Residents in all the towns are being told that leaving their homes is the safest option.
6.05PM: Firefighters have stopped the spread of a grassfire at Emu in central Victoria although it is not yet under control.
An emergency warning was downgraded to a watch and act alert late this afternoon.
6.01PM: Premier Denis Napthine is receiving a briefing on the fire situation at the State Control Centre.
5.40PM: Fire crews have wrested control of grassfires along the Hume Freeway.
The CFA downgraded its warning to residents at 4.35pm, saying the firefighters had stopped the spread of the fire.
Donnybrook, Epping, Kalkallo, Lalor, Somerton, Roxburgh Park, Campbellfield and Craigieburn are no longer under threat.
Emergency service vehicles are still in the affected areas and motorist are urged to take care on the roads as visibility is low and smoke is still present.
Major roads, including the Hume Freeway, are still closed.
Gisborne Incident Control Centre deputy incident controller Roger Walker said the cause of the three fires was still not yet determined.
Read more about the Hume Freeway fires here
5.19PM: Police confirm the person found dead earlier today - the first victim of the fires - was a woman.
She was found in Roses Gap, northwest of Stawell.
Smoke from the Grampians fire blankets the sky. Photo: Jake Nowakowski Source: News Limited
5.09PM: CFA update:
5.07PM: A total fire ban will remain in place tomorrow for the Mallee, Wimmera, Northern Country, North East, East Gippsland and West and South Gippsland districts.
4 .55PM: The CFA has issued an emergency warning for the Glenaladale area near Bairnsdale
Residents have been told to seek immediate shelter indoors because it is too late to leave.
"There is a fast moving, out of control bushfire travelling in a south and easterly direction from Limpyers Road in the Fernbank State forest towards the Bairnsdale-Dargo and Fernbank -Glenaladale Roads and Honeysuckle Road," a CFA alert said.
4.33PM: The southwesterly change is moving through the northern Grampians.
It has passed through Stawell and is moving through Halls Gap towards the Wimmera.
Firefighters battle a blaze threatening to break containment lines near Westbury in Gippsland. Picture: Alex Coppel Source: News Limited
4.32PM: The Grampians fire has a 12km convection column which is generating its own weather conditions, Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley says.
"As we speak they are having lightning in the area generated by that convection column, they are having spot fires dropping in and around Halls Gap."
The fire front was about two kilometres north of Halls Gap by about 4pm.
As well as the emergency warnings applying for the northern Grampians areas that were warned to evacuate, one was also issued for the Black Range, Mokepilly and Rhymney, west of Halls Gap, effective 3.30pm.
An emergency warning has also been issued for Glenaladale and Davidsons Road, Iguana Creek, in East Gippsland due to a fast-moving, out-of-control grassfire.
A waterbombing helicopter returns to Halls Gap from the firefont this afternoon. Picture: Stuart McEvoy Source: News Limited
4.10PM: Residents in the northwest Victorian towns of Tempy and Gypsum have been issued an emergency bushfire warning, the second in as many days.
A fast-moving, out-of-control bushfire is heading towards Tempy, near Ouyen.
It is expected to impact Tempy, Gypsum and Pier Milan by about 5.30pm today.
Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said the fire would be the product of more than 25 smaller blazes joining together.
"That fire has the potential to burn significant areas over the next couple of days," he said.
An emergency warning is in place for Club Terrace, near Mallacoota.
The Princes Highway between Orbost and Cann River will be closed on Friday afternoon.
3.50PM: TWO community activity centres in Epping have been evacuated and several child care centres advised to enact emergency plans if required as fire continue to burn along the Hume Freeway.
The Barry Road Community Activity Centre and the Epping Views Family and Community Centre in Lyndarum Drive, have been evacuated as a precaution. Buildings are not under fire threat.
Whittlesea Council has also closed activity centres in Mernda and Doreen.
All child care centres in the City of Whittlesea have been notified of fire incidents and advised to enact emergency plans if required ... read more
3.19PM: A fire burning in Gippsland could soon reach half a million hectares.
Emergency Services Minister Kim Wells said the out-of-control bushfire in Gippsland could soon be more than 500,000 hectares in size.
Mr Wells said efforts would be made to protect electricity transmission lines in the area.
CFA crews battle a fire in Trafalgar, West Gippsland, that was started by a lightning strike. Picture: Alex Coppel Source: News Limited
A firefighter is treated for heat exhaustion while battling the Trafalgar blaze. Picture: Alex Coppel Source: News Limited
3.16PM: Arsonists have deliberately sparked 12 fires in Victoria as soaring temperatures and strong winds create the most dangerous fire conditions since Black Saturday.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Ken Lay said police believe 12 of the 68 fires burning across the state were deliberately lit.
Most of those fires were sparked on the urban fringes of Melbourne, including three grass fires in Epping, in the city's north. Detectives are now investigating those fires.
A bushfire in the Grampians National Park heads towards the township of Halls Gap. Picture: Stuart McEvoy Source: News Limited
Photo: Jake Nowakowski. Source: News Limited
3.13PM: A bushfire burning in the Grampians could claim more lives and damage properties, the state's fire services commissioner says.
The 21,000-hectare bushfire in the Grampians region has already killed one person at Roses Gap and is now threatening Halls Gap and surrounding towns.
An evacuation notice has been issued for the towns of Halls Gap, Pomonal, Bellfield, Lake Fyans, Lake Lonsdale, Roses Gap, Dadswells Bridge, Heatherlie and Ledcourt.
Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley says the threat to the area will increase as a southwesterly change comes through on Friday afternoon.
The fire is expected to move into the holiday town of Halls Gap.
"There is a fair chance of losing property and even, if people are caught in the wrong space, a life could be lost," he told reporters.
2.56PM: Spot fires continue to burn along the Hume Freeway at Craigieburn, Epping and Thomastown.
Craigieburn resident Jo Hain-Hardie said her house was near a fire.
"We can see the smoke and the helicopters are going overhead and everything (but) I think with everybody in the area, as long as they're aware and they just take precautions, there really shouldn't be too much of an issue," Ms Hain-Hardie said.
Read more on the fires at Craigieburn, Epping and Thomastown
Firefighters battle a grass blaze beside the Hume Highway. Photo: Andrew Henshaw Source: News Limited
2.28PM: Seven bushfires are burning out of control across Victoria's north-west Mallee region, with crews preparing for an expected wind change.
Eleven aircraft are supporting more than 200 firefighters in the battle to control the blazes occurring mainly in parkland and reserves.
One of the main focuses of Department of Environment and Primary Industry and Parks Victoria firefighters is a 6,500-hectare blaze in parkland near Ouyen.
The fire is at the Bronzewing Flora And Fauna Reserve, which covers an area of about 12,000 hectares, and work is under way to prevent the blaze worsening under changing wind conditions expected later today.
Mildura incident controller Damian Kerr says crews want to make progress early before the strong south-westerly change sweeps through.
Visibility in the area is low, and the Sunraysia Highway has been closed between the Calder Highway and the township of Speed.
Another high priority is a 20,000-hectare blaze in the Big Desert Wilderness Park near the South Australian border.
That fire is impacting on the Red Bluff Flora and Fauna Reserve and Murrayville-Nhill Road has been closed.
Firefighters are also battling a number of other fires which have merged near the Lake Albacutya Freeway Track in south-eastern Wyperfeld.
Fires are also burning near Rocket Lake in Murray Sunset National Park and next to Underbool Track in Wyperfeld National Park.
Both national parks have been closed along with Hattah Kulkyne National Park.
Authorities are urging people to stay informed and travellers in the area should plan their trip.
2.24PM: Victoria's extreme weather and bushfires could cause unexpected power outages after searing heat this week pushed the system to capacity.
High temperatures drove the network to the limit and while forced outages were flagged to stabilise the network during extreme conditions, none occurred.
But the Energy Supply Association of Australia (ESAA) says any threat to reliable power supply may still be caused, although by bushfires and weather, rather than high demand.
2.22PM: A man who lit a fire at a Gippsland camping site had a radio on airing total fire ban warnings, police say.
The 45-year-old was one of two men interviewed by police yesterday over lighting a fire at Yarram on a total fire ban day.
Police say when they arrived a radio was on in the background and was airing total fire ban warnings.
Officers also interviewed a 48-year-old man after he allegedly lit a campfire on Bullock Island in Lakes Entrance.
2.18PM: The Hume Freeway remains closed from Cooper St as firefighters continue to battle "multiple fires" between Donnybrook and Epping.
Fire authorities urged residents wanting to leave their homes to get away from the grass fire along the Hume Freeway to fall back three blocks from their properties.
The latest CFA Watch and Act message said people should avoid driving due to low visibility and to help avoid traffic congestion.
Emergency services say the fire is unlikely to spread past fences and houses.
Multiple fires are burning out of control in grassland from Beveridge toward the Metropolitan Ring Rd.
The Hume freeway is closed at Cooper St. The CFA urged residents not to approach the fire affected area.
Read more on the fires at Craigiburn, Epping and Thomastown
Grass fires burn beside the old Hume Highway (Sydney Rd) at Craigieburn. Photo: Andrew Henshaw Source: News Limited
1.39PM: The CFA has issued an Emergency Warning for Club Terrace in East Gippsland.
There is a fast moving, out-of-control bushfire travelling in a easterly direction towards Club Terrace. Spotfires and ember attacks are expected from nearby fires.
Club Terrace and the surrounding area could be impacted anytime within the next one to two hours.
Residents are advised to travel to the relief centre at Cann River P-12 School, Tamboon Road, the Orbost relief centre, Orbost Secondary School or the home of family or friends that is away from the warning area.
1.32PM: Evelyn Cox was one of the last residents to leave Halls Gap at 1.30pm.
"It doesn't look too good, does it?", she said in the town's main street, as it was blanketed by smoke and eerie orange clouds.
Ms Cox said she had lived in Halls Gap for 32 years but she was fleeing with her bed in her van ... read more
1.26PM: The CFA has issued a Watch and Act warning for a grassfire in Racecourse Rd, Sunbury.
The warning was issued just before midday and affects Dunrossil Drive, Hopbush Ave, Correa Way, Lock Court and Marshall Close.
The fire is moving in a southerly direction.
A CFA spokeswoman Sarah Dunning said residents in the area should leave now.
The fire is currently burning through grassland.
1.25PM: Trains on the Craigieburn line are being suspended from Essendon as a fire continues to burn at Epping, Metro says.
There is currently no movement on the V/Line Seymour line. V/Line has advised the Southern Cross to Shepparton service is operating as a road coach. The Hume Freeway remains closed from Cooper St.
1.24PM: Bunnings Craigieburn has been evacuated after the median strip behind the store caught fire ... read more
1.16PM: A CFA strike team of five trucks will stay and fight in Halls Gap but most residents have already fled.
Firefighters say the situation is increasingly dangerous but they will patrol the town as the fire moves closer.
A wind change could come at 2pm, much earlier than initially expected, and people in the Grampians have received emergency text messages urging them to "leave now".
Authorities have ordered residents of Halls Gap and surrounds to evacuate. Courtesy Channel Ten
1.12PM: FIRE crews battling a suspicious grass fire between Donnybrook and Epping are praying wind conditions remain calm.
Six fires have broken out along the Hume Freeway between Donnybrook Rd and Cooper St, affecting grassland in Craigieburn, Epping and Thomastown.
The fire started about noon and has not reached houses or businesses. MFB, CFA and air crews are at the scene.
12.48PM: A person has been found dead in Roses Gap, police say.
"The death is being treated as occuring as a result of the fires," a police statement said.
"Arson and Explosives Squad investigators are heading to the scene."
The CFA battles the dangerous fire in the northern Grampians. Picture: CFA Source: Supplied
12.26PM: Residents in Roses Gap, Dadswells Bridge, Heatherlie, Ledcourt, are being "strongly recommended" to evacuate and take shelter at the Relief Centre at the Stawell Leisure Centre.
Dozens of cars are driving along Grampians Rd with their headlights on as they evacuate from small towns in the Grampians, including Halls Gap.
One person appeared to have been forced to abandon a broken down 4WD that was carrying several lambs.
Black smoke is making the mountain range almost impossible to see.
Waterbombing planes fight fires in the Grampians. Picture: CFA Source: Supplied
Picture: CFA Source: Supplied
12.21PM: Emergency services are urging people to avoid swimming in the Yarra River at Warrandyte during today's severe fire warning conditions ... read more here
11.55AM: Up to seven fires have started along the Hume Freeway between Wallan Rd and Craigieburn Rd ramp, Craigieburn.
They are believed to be suspicious.
Police, CFA and MFB are attending.
11.27AM: A man and woman have been charged for using firelighters to start a barbecue at a Wonga Park reserve amid extreme temperatures.
Lighting a fire on a total fire ban day carries a maximum fine of $34,646 and/or two years imprisonment ... read more here
10.47AM: An evacuation order has been issued for towns in the northern Grampians.
Residents in Pomonal, Bellfield, Lake Fyans, Halls Gap, Lake Lonsdale are being warned to leave now as the fire continues to rage.
People are being urged to seek shelter at a relief centre in Stawell.
The CFA said the fire was out of control and would hit its peak this afternoon.
Vic firefighters are bracing for what they expect to be their toughest day yet of the continuing heat wave.
EARLIER TODAY: An Emergency Warning remains in place for the communities of Wartook, Brimpaen, Heathvale, and Laharum in the northwest entrance of the Grampians.
A Watch and Act alert for the communities of Cherrypool, Glenisla and Glenisla Crossing was upgraded to an Emergency Warning at 7.25am.
A CFA State Control Centre spokeswoman said the historic Troopers Creek cabin and a number of buildings at the Happy Wanderer Holiday Resort in the Wartook Valley had been destroyed.
She said the bushfire was affecting a number of private properties, and that houses may have been destroyed.
Incident controller Andrew Morro said most residents in the Wartook Valley left yesterday.
The CFA said the bushfire has the potential to reach the Henty Hwy by 9am. The highway is now closed at Cavendish.
Horsham Mayor David Grimble stayed behind to defend his home in the northern Grampians, and told 3AW he had a hectic night after the blaze broke out of the national park, headed west and then turned south.
"Certainly we think a number of other properties were impacted very heavily," he said.
"But with a lot of good assistance from some other emergency services we were successful in saving not only my property but a number of properties in the Wartook, Laharum and Brimpaen area."
WIND CHANGE TO BRING 'DIRE' CONDITIONS
The CFA said the 11500ha bushfire was moving quickly and strong northwesterly winds ahead of a late gusty southwesterly change at 5pm will bring "dire" conditions.
Extra fire crews have been sent this morning to battle the blaze.
"At the Grampians fire, we're expecting winds of up to 40km/h. What we do know is it really is when these big wind changes hit that things become serious," CFA State Control Centre spokesman Leigh Miezis said.
The fire rages in Wartook State Forest in the northern Grampians. Picture: Ian Wilson Source: News Limited
The southwesterly wind change will bring "dire" conditions, the CFA says. Source: News Limited
A firefighter at work in a remote area of the northern Grampians. Source: HeraldSun
NEW BUSHFIRES
The CFA said 25 new bushfires started overnight in the southern and northern ends of the Grampians, East Gippsland and southwest Victoria. All regions were hit with lightning.
A CFA State Control Centre spokeswoman said 43 fires were going across the state this morning and a further five were controlled, with the largest a 25,000ha collective of desert fires at Lake Albacutya in the state's northwest.
The CFA expects to focus most of its attention on the Grampians, Gippsland and the Otways Ranges today as the severe heatwave enters its fourth day.
The alert for a bushfire that threatened the communities of Trafalgar and Westbury in West Gippsland yesterday has been downgraded to Advice.
Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said predictions for today of 44C-plus temperatures, strong winds and the late change made for some of the state's worst conditions since 2009.
"It's certainly up there - the fact that we've had a pre-run of three, four days of this sort of weather," he said.
A total fire ban has been declared for the entire state today.
LATE RELIEF FOR MELBOURNE
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Terry Ryan said the mercury was expected to rise steadily in Melbourne throughout the day to reach 30C by about 9am, 40C by 1pm and the maximum forecast temperature of 44C by 4pm or 5pm.
The much anticipated cool change is expected to kick in from late afternoon to evening across Victoria, with the exception of the state's northeast which is forecast to remain about 40C.
Mr Ryan said the temperature would drop almost instantly from about 40C to 25C in Melbourne between 8pm and 9pm.
"It's a bit late for an enjoyable night out, but we should lose almost 15C straight away," Mr Ryan said.
Mr Ryan said the change would bring with it a chance of thunderstorms.
Emergency Services Minister Kim Wells said Victorians needed to be aware of the potential danger facing them.
"(It) will be a crucial day: hot temperatures and the wind picking up, it's absolutely crucial ... that people ... are checking their fire plans and understanding their fire danger situation," Mr Wells said yesterday.
Crews were kept busy by 1000 new incidents yesterday, most of which were small fires sparked by lightning strikes.
A fire also forced the closure of the Frankston line between Carrum and Frankston, and some 20,000 people in the area were left without power.
The blaze also left the Frankston Freeway closed between EastLink and Frankston-Dandenong Rd.
Firefighters battle the blaze in Trafalgar which is under control. Picture: Alex Coppel Source: News Limited
A fire near Yaapeet in northwest Victoria is under control. Picture: Jake Nowakowski Source: News Limited
PARKS CLOSED
Parks Victoria has closed a number of parks today including the 1000 Steps in the Dandenong Ranges National Park due to the severe fire danger.
District manager Craig Bray said the Dandenong Ranges was a "very high risk area" for fire.
"Popular sites like the 1000 Steps offer very little protection or refuge opportunities, making it a very dangerous place to be when there are elevated fire risks," Mr Bray said.
"A fire can start at any time in any area of the park, which means you don't know where a potential fire danger is going to come from, and you may not get any warning it's coming."
Visitor areas One Tree Hill, Sherbrooke, O'Donohue, Valley, Eagles Nest, Doongalla, Grants Picnic Ground, Fern Tree Hill and Kalorama Park are also closed.
Mr Bray warned people who enter the parks during closures could be fined.
- with Samantha Landy, Michelle Ainsworth, Angus Thompson, Sophie Aubrey, Ashley Argoon , Shaun Campbell
WARNINGS AND ADVICE
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