There are 10 major fire fronts burning across Victoria, according to Premier Jacinta Allan, who confirmed “well over” 300,000 hectares has burnt so far.
“There continues to be 19 emergency warnings in place, and a further 16 watch and act advice notifications that are being communicated to the Victorian community,” she said at a press conference at the State Control Centre.
“These are particularly centred around the fires at Walwa, Longwood, and Ravenswood.
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“We’ve had hundreds, thousands of firefighters from the CFA, from Forest Fire Management Victoria, supported by the broader emergency services agencies out fighting fires day and night, and continue to respond this morning.”
About 38,000 households and businesses continue to be without power.
Allan applauded the actions of locals who were told to leave their homes, and who adhered to warnings from authorities.
“We did see over the course of yesterday and into the evening that as those emergency warnings were issued, communities did respond. They did leave, and I thank you for that.”
While the three people previously unaccounted for in the Longwood area have been located safely, Allan said the community of Harcourt would be grieving the loss of a man in his 60s who was found dead in his car yesterday afternoon.
“Whilst his death is not directly related to the fires, the fact that his death has occurred in such close proximity to the fire ground means that this is a community that is grieving, and my thoughts are with his family and the broader community,” she said.
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