‘Leave immediately’: Residents in Australia’s Victoria state urged to flee out-of-control bushfire
Evacuation orders as suspicious bushfire spreads
- Residents in Victoria, Australia, were instructed to evacuate on Saturday due to an out-of-control bushfire near Gaffneys Creek, northeast of Melbourne.
- Victorian emergency services issued the state's highest alert for areas around the A1 Mine Settlement as the fire rapidly spread across ridgelines.
- Police are investigating the bushfire as suspicious, with initial responders finding three separate ignition points, suggesting it may have been deliberately started.
- The blaze has consumed over 600 hectares in remote, mountainous terrain, making ground access difficult for the approximately 35 responding vehicles.
- Authorities are concerned about upcoming weather, including high temperatures, gusty winds, and thunderstorms, which could exacerbate the fire or cause flash flooding.
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