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Christmas Day wildfire destroys more than 100 homes in southern Australia
On Friday, some 1,600 residents and tourists were evacuated from Lorne amid fears that a wind change would push the fire towards the town, but were allowed to return on Saturday.
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Victoria’s Emergency Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said the fire would probably burn for some time.
Watch and act alerts were kept for Lorne, Allenvale, Kennett River and Grey River on Saturday.
He said unsafe weather was forecast again later this week, and people in the area should pay extra close attention.
Just five kilometres south, more than 300 firefighters from both local CFA crews and 17 water-bombing aircraft battled the blaze as it swept through Wye River and Separation Creek.
Flames tore mainly through houses in the foothills while sparing the main strip of Wye River, the worst affected town.
“This brigade, this community, actually had a community plan that had planned for many years about a fire coming into Wye River”.
‘After 1pm it may be too late to leave, take shelter when the fire arrives – protect yourself from the fire’s heat, ‘ the evacuation order says.
Walking trails in the nearby Great Otway National Park were closed to the public, as some of the fires are in the park.
On Saturday afternoon, fire authorities fanned out across the fire zone to survey the devastation.
“I would have thought they would have lost at least 200 homes in this town”, Mr Lapsley said.
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State Premier Daniel Andrews surveyed the area from the air and commended emergency services, noting that there had so far been no loss of life, but he warned that the number of homes destroyed could rise. However, no deaths or injuries were reported. “It’s been an exceptionally dry year with the El Nino event, and the worst fire conditions will probably be seen in January and February, and that’s why we’re working really hard to consolidate this fire now”, firefighter Mark Gunning told ABC”.