Victoria has declared a state of disaster as fierce bushfires burn vast forests, destroy homes and leave people missing, with extreme heat and dry winds worsening conditions across southeast Australia.
Australian authorities on Saturday declared a “state of disaster” in the country’s southeast after fierce bushfires destroyed homes and swept through vast forested areas.
Despite its vulnerability to climate-driven disasters, Australia remains one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of fossil fuels, including coal and natural gas, major contributors to global warming.
Temperatures across the state of Victoria soared above 40°C this week, fueled by extreme heat and dry winds that have intensified the fires, creating the most dangerous fire conditions since the catastrophic 2019–2020 “Black Summer” bushfires.
One of the most destructive fires near Longwood has burned nearly 150,000 hectares (370,000 acres) of primarily natural forest land. Firefighters have begun assessing the damage and early reports indicate that at least 20 homes were completely destroyed in the small town of Ruffy, north of Melbourne.
Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan formally announced the state of disaster on Saturday, granting firefighters special powers to evacuate residents to safety. “The priority is clear: protect lives. If you are told to leave an area, do so immediately,” Premier Allan said.
Authorities reported that three people, including a child, are unaccounted for in one of the state’s most fire-prone regions.
Although the situation eased slightly on Saturday morning, more than 30 fires remain active across the state. Most of the severe fires are concentrated in sparsely populated rural areas, where town populations number only a few hundred.
Satellite and ground images taken during the week show the sky near Longwood glowing orange as flames spread. Livestock farmer Scott Parsell described the scene to ABC News: “Flames were everywhere. It was a terrifying experience.”
Near the town of Walwa, the intensity of the fire created such extreme heat that firefighters reported localized thunderstorms forming in the area. Hundreds of firefighters from across Australia have arrived in Victoria to assist in containment efforts.
The recent heatwave has left millions of Australians enduring extreme conditions. In South Australia, hundreds of baby bats reportedly died due to unbearable heat, according to a local wildlife organization.
During the 2019–2020 Black Summer fires, millions of hectares burned across eastern Australia, thousands of homes were destroyed and towns were blanketed in toxic smoke. Research shows that Australia’s average temperature has increased by 1.51°C since 1910, contributing to a rise in extreme weather events on land and at sea.
