Western Victoria spent Wednesday evening in nervous limbo,awaiting the most dangerous bushfire conditions forecast since Black Saturday.
A watch and act warning has now replaced the former emergency warning for the area.
The Wimmera region’s fire danger rating has been upgraded from extreme to catastrophic,as Melbourne’s temperature is forecast to soar close to 40 degrees on Wednesday.
Victorians are bracing for the worst fire conditions in four years after at least six houses and about 20,000 hectares were burnt over the past five days.
Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes says temperatures over 40 degrees and windy conditions forecast for Wednesday may combine to cause extreme fire danger for anything west of the Hume.
Forecast extreme heat,high winds and dry lightning mean Wednesday will be “a very dangerous and difficult day across Victoria”,Premier Jacinta Allan said.
Fire crews fought the out of control blaze near Beaufort in western Victoria overnight into Friday morning as hundreds of people were evacuated out of harm’s way.
More than 1000 firefighters have been battling the 14,000-hectare blaze and authorities are now warning of searing heat and strong winds returning next week.
When disaster strikes,The Age has a crucial role to play both during and after the crisis.
As crews worked at breakneck speed to protect properties and build containment lines most residents could only sit and wait for news on if their homes survived.
No storm suggested doom for these two. They were preppers,but they were optimists,too.