Victoria Australia.
Record temperatures have come to the state of Victoria. The capital city of Melbourne was 46 ºC = 114.8 ºF today 02/07/09
Avolon airport 20miles SW of Melbourne recorded 47.6 ºC = 117.68 ºF
Wildfires are scattered throughout the state. SEE LINKS
Kilmore is shaping up big- 83 trucks as I'm typing this. Kilmore is up the Hume Highway (for those not familiar). It's about a 30-45 minyte drive from my place. (We're on the Calder Highway)
Victoria's firefighting resources are stretched to the limit as more than 3000 firefighters try to save homes across the state.
Fighting the fires
Firefighters: 3192 (552 DSE, 2500 CFA, 140 MFB)
Fire vehicles: 342 (142 DSE, 200 CFA)
Bulldozers: 23
Aircraft: 37
Weather:
State max 47.9 at Avalon
Melbourne max 46.4 winds up to 116km/h at Swan Hill
Injuries:
One man in critical condition with burns to 50 per cent of his body
Losses:
At least 30 houses, a golf club, a fire truck, several sheds.
Fires:
HORSHAM
At least three houses, the Horsham Golf Club, several sheds and a Dimboola fire unit truck destroyed.
The Remlaw fire burnt out more than 2500 hectares with urgent threat messages issued for the communities of Haven, McKenzie Creek, Bungalally and Green Lake to the west of Horsham City.
Fire jumped the Western Highway and impacted Drung Drung in Horsham's east.
KILMORE
Houses in Wandong believed to be destroyed.
At least 1400 hectares burnt out around four kilometres east of Kilmore, directly threatening Wandong and the communities of Hidden Valley, Heathcote Junction, Upper Plenty and Whittlesea.
Pushed close to King Lake with unconfirmed reports of houses being destroyed.
CHURCHILL
Potential threat to Loy Yang power station and also to communities of Devon North, Yarram and Langsbrough on the Gippsland coast. Ripped through 600 hectares of pine forests in one hour.
BUNYIP
Broke containment lines overnight, forcing ground attack firefighters to retreat.
Residents evacuated from nursing homes, reports of house lost in Labertouche, ember attacks also on Garfield North, Tonimbuk, Robin Hood, Drouin West, Buln Buln, Tarago, Jindivick, Jindivick North, Longwarry, Longwarry North, and Drouin.
DARGO
Alpine fire in East Gippsland approximatley 650 hectares in size. While not initially a direct threat to property, the communities of Bullumwaal, Mount Taylor, Clifton and Sarsfield were on alert.
COLERAINE
One man protecting his home suffers burns to 50 per cent of his body.
Fire crossed the Princes Highway between Danedite Road and Johnstons Road, heading north east towards Pomborneit North also threatening residents of Scollers Road, Carters Roads Settlement and Swan Marsh.
REDESDALE
Grass fire started nine kilometres west of Redesdale south of Lake Eppalock near Bendigo estimated to be over 6000 hectares in size, threatening communities of Barfold, Langley and Metcalfe East.
MURRINDINDI
Murrindindi Mill fire in the Mount Despair State Forest expected to directly attack communities of Marysville and Buxton, while Healesville residents also warned of ember attack.
Well, we hoped it would fizzle out to nothing. Forlorn hope.
02:30 Sun 8th Feb, I've just got home. We were out near one of the places Luke mentioned, Yarra Glen - but not the same fire. Ours was smaller - but with only two urban pumpers for a wildfire situation there wasn't much we could do, still, no houses lost so that's a win.
We're expecting a lot more work, tonight we have thunderstorms, but unfortunately they're virtually dry storms. No rain worth mentioning. So we'll just have the lightning starting fresh fires.
It's going to be interesting to see the statistics on this one.
It's now time for a long drink, a short shower, then bed. Night all.
I sat on my bum at the station, we were to important to deploy. such is life, in a high risk area.
Confirmed 25 dead and we lost 7 homes near horsham. Stay safe Tony