Mild winds still a danger as Otway fire warnings ease

Warnings around the Otway fires were downgraded on Sunday as conditions eased, but fire authorities say even mild coastal winds remain capable of driving further fire spread.

Speaking at a community meeting in Colac today, Colac Incident Control Centre’s Dale Antonysen said crews were continuing to work toward tightening warning areas as containment lines improved.

“We’re in the process of looking to collapse those warnings and advice into a much tighter space against the fire,” he said.

“We do want people to be informed and prepared to leave, but we will be looking to reduce the warnings.”

 

 

Four fires remain active in the Otway Ranges, including in Carlisle River, Kennedys Creek and the Cape Otway area. Collectively, the bushfires are more than 5,000 hectares in size and have not yet been brought under control.

More than 300 firefighters remain on the ground, supported by 13 aircrafts, with back-burning operations to take place in the coming days to help contain the fire.

Many of the communities surrounding the fire area were evacuated on Saturday as strong winds contributed to the spread of the blaze.

This afternoon, some have been able to start thinking about returning home, with emergency advice back to Watch and Act level. But with the Carlisle River river fire travelling in a north-easterly direction towards private properties in Irrewillipe, residents in surrounding towns have today been evacuated.

 

 

 

 

Despite the downgrade in some areas of the Otway Ranges, emergency management commissioner Tim Wiebusch said the Otway fires remain highly sensitive to wind.

“Even in the mildest of winds for these very large fires will still cause concern,” he said from the Bendigo Incident Control Centre on Sunday.

“The Otway fires – those coastal breezes – even 25 to 30km/h is enough to keep pushing those fires along.”

Firebombing along the Otways continued into Saturday evening, as crews worked to bring the fires under control.

“We’re throwing everything at it to try and contain these fires,” Wiebusch said.

 

 

 

More than 350,000 hectares of land has been burnt out across the state, a figure expected to rise over the next 24 hours as firefighters battle a total of 32 fires. Authorities have warned the more complex fires are expected to burn for weeks.

In Harcourt, near Bendigo, 47 homes and three businesses have been destroyed.

While acknowledging those losses, Wiebusch said crews remained focused on the scale of what had been protected.

“The feedback we’re getting from our crews in the field has been really positive around morale,” Wiebusch said.

 

 

 

“The teams feel like they’ve been able to achieve some fantastic saves.

“Yes, sadly we have lost 47 homes and three businesses, but they’ve saved so many more and, in particular, in the main street of Harcourt itself.”

Crews are still working on the Mount Mercer fire near Meredith but are expecting to have the blaze contained by the end of the day on Monday.