Families have been told to “leave now” or risk their lives as a bushfire threatens homes near Victoria’s scenic Great Ocean Road.
A watch-and-act alert was updated at 4.30am on Sunday, urging residents to leave and warning that a bushfire was travelling in a southerly to south-westerly direction from Chapple Vale towards the Great Ocean Road.
The blaze in the Otways near Gellibrand in south-west Victoria on Saturday.Credit: Nine
A wind change could cause the fire to move east, with spot fires and embers potentially impacting the Great Ocean Road in the early hours of Sunday, Vic Emergency said.
The area includes part of the Great Ocean Walk and hikers along the track west of Cape Otway were urged to seek shelter in a large open area like a ploughed paddock or football oval, or at a large body of water like a dam, river, lake or inground pool.
The alert warning residents to leave applied to Chapple Vale, Crowes, Gellibrand Lower, Johanna, Johanna Heights, Lavers Hill, Stalker, Wangerrip, Wattle Hill, Yuulong, and Wattle Hill to the Great Ocean Walk.
“Don’t wait, leaving now is the safest option – conditions may change and get worse very quickly. Emergency services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay,” the emergency warning said. “By choosing to stay, you and your family may be at risk of serious injury or death.”
Smoke from the Gellibrand fire on Saturday afternoon.Credit: Nine
A community fire refuge has been set up at Otway CFA in Lavers Hill, about 15 kilometres inland from the coast.
North-west, near Victoria’s border with South Australia, residents of Chetwynd, Kadnook and Connewirricoo were warned it was not safe to return.
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