The eastern state of Victoria has faced extreme fire conditions in the past week, with numerous blazes forcing evacuations in dozens of rural communities. The fire crisis in Victoria has escalated rapidly, with one of the fires growing to an enormous scale, affecting both residents and the natural environment.
The largest fire has now burnt 74,000 hectares (183,000 acres) of the Grampians National Park, 240 kilometres (150 miles) west of Melbourne, state control centre spokesman Luke Hegarty said.
According to Luke Hegarty, this fire has consumed an area equivalent to the size of Singapore, highlighting the severity and scale of the disaster.
“We’re talking about the fire that’s roughly the size of Singapore,” he told Australian national broadcaster ABC.
Despite some improvement in conditions, the challenge of controlling the blaze remains significant due to its vast perimeter.
Fire conditions were easing but it would still take time to control the Grampians blaze, which has a perimeter of more than 360 kilometres, he said.
Hegarty emphasized the complexity of ensuring the fire is under control, stating, “That means that we need to have walked or driven or flown the entire fire perimeter to be certain that we’ve got it under control, and that’s no easy task.”
No deaths have been reported nor homes lost, authorities said.
Fortunately, despite the scale of the fires, there have been no fatalities or damage to residential structures reported, showcasing the effectiveness of the evacuation measures and firefighting efforts.
Key Points
Victoria, Australia, has experienced extreme fire conditions, leading to evacuations in numerous rural communities.
The largest fire has consumed 74,000 hectares of Grampians National Park, about the size of Singapore.
Fire conditions are improving, but controlling the blaze, with a perimeter of over 360 kilometers, will take time.
No deaths or home losses have been reported despite the severity of the fires.
