Three people last seen in front of a now-destroyed home remain unaccounted for as a town at the centre of an “uncontrollable” bushfire is ripped apart by flames.

Some communities impacted by a fire at Longwood – about 150km north of Melbourne – have been told that it is too late to leave as the fire shows no signs of easing.

Police are now searching for a man, woman and child at Longwood East, who were advised by Country Fire Authorities (CFA) on Thursday that they needed to take shelter as it was too late for them to leave safely.

Thousands of people are under threat from the blaze. Picture: NewsWire / Jason Edwards

At least 10 have been destroyed according to local authorities. Picture: NewsWire / Jason Edwards
“Later the that afternoon, those same fire service representatives reattended that area to see the house that they saw those three people standing in front of had been completely destroyed,” Victoria Police deputy commissioner Bob Hill said.

“Those three people remain unaccounted for. Those three people, we do not know at this point of time where they may be.

“That particular area in Longwood East where that house has been destroyed is still a hot spot, and we’re yet to be able to put the strike teams from the fire service into that area to conduct an assessment for us.”

Government assistance provided

The federal and Victorian governments have announced snap emergency relief to support households affected.

The assistance includes a one-off payment of $680 per adult and $340 per child to help cover the costs of essentials.

“My thoughts are with those who have been affected by these devastating bushfires,” Federal Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain said in a statement.

“This is a crucial time for Victorians to be listening to the advice of emergency services, regularly checking for updates online or through media, and being ready to enact their emergency plans.

“The Albanese government understands the need to act urgently, which is why we have activated this assistance immediately.”

‘Bomb gone off’: Town destroyed

The Longwood fire shows no signs of easing as temperatures and winds ramp up.

Emergency management commissioner Tim Wiebusch said residents’ failure to evacuate from impacted areas “could result in your life being lost”.

A community centre that was previously a primary school has been swept up in flames. Picture: Facebook

The building has been gutted by flames. Picture: Facebook
The nearby town of Ruffy was hit by the firefront on Friday morning, with residential and community properties lost to the flames.

“We know that we have had the community centre and the telephone exchange damaged or lost at the township of Ruffy,” Commissioner Wiebusch said.

“In and around the Ruffy township, there are multiple homes that have been lost to fire.”

Images from the fire have revealed how entire buildings were engulfed in flames.

The Ruffy Recreation Centre, previously a primary school, became a fireball on Friday.

Another photo reveals the aftermath on the town’s community centre, which is now just a pile of smoking rubble.

While an official count of the buildings is not yet available due to ongoing danger, Felicity Sloman, Ruffy CFA community safety officer said on Friday that at least 20 had been destroyed.

Another image shows a large barn completely lit up by a blaze that raged inside it. Picture: Facebook

At least 10 buildings in Ruffy Victoria have been destroyed when the bushfire swept through the town. Picture: Facebook

The Tablelands Community Centre is now a pile of rubble. Picture: Facebook
“We know everybody is thinking about us and we’re really keen for people to just stay put until it’s safe to come up, and then we’re going to need a lot of help,” she told ABC News

“We don’t know how many properties we’ve lost because communications are down, but it’s minimum 20 I would say.

The town has been “impacted severely” by the fire according to CFA captain for the town George Noye.

“The main street looks like a bomb’s gone off,” he told ABC News Breakfast.

“We’ve lost a school. The CFA shed’s still standing.

“At the moment, even to get around the roads is … dangerous and hazardous.”

Authorities have warned conditions in the area would be “catastrophic” on Friday, with reports the state is facing its worst fire threat since the Black Summer fires in 2019 and 2020.

Flames swept through Ruffy’s main street. Picture: Facebook
Firefighters have “no chance” of containing the fire on Friday, according to deputy incident controller of the Longwood fire Greg Murphy, with 400 volunteers and 93 pieces of firefighting equipment fighting a losing battle with the blaze.

The dangerous conditions have also meant that the 70 aircraft in Victoria’s firefighting fleet are not able to fly.

NSW braces for flames as they send help south

Dozens of firefighters from NSW have been sent south to assist Victorian crews, with more to arrive over the weekend.

There were 92 personnel from the Rural Fire Service in NSW sent late Thursday to the Longwood fire.

They have been assisting in that firefighting effort since the early hours of Friday morning.

“We’ve also requested an additional 117 interstate personnel that will arrive on Saturday to be available for Sunday, and that is a mix of incident management team personnel along with additional firefighters into the landscape,” Mr Wiebusch said.

Under current conditions, the fire burning near Walwa is not expected to cross into NSW, but crews in the state are preparing in case. The Walwa fire is expected to burn in a southerly direction, with hopes the Murray River – which makes up much of the border between states – will help contain the fire to Victoria.

However, there are always concerns that high winds could push embers into NSW.

Dozens of fires are already burning in NSW on Friday, however they all remain under the advice level.

With heatwave conditions to move north on Saturday, extreme fire danger is forecast in the Greater Sydney, Illawarra/Shoalhaven, Southern Ranges, Southern Slopes and Monaro Alpine regions on the weekend.

“Those high temperatures for eastern NSW and the winds will elevate the fire dangers, reaching extreme, including across the Sydney metro [area],” weather bureau meteorologist Sarah Scully said.

A total fire ban has been declared in four southern NSW and Riverina regions on the Victorian border.

Third emergency level blaze announced

Victoria is now facing its third emergency level fire with a grassfire impacting communities near Natimuk.

Residents at Natimuk, Arapiles and Grass Flat are urged to leave now and head to Horsham where an emergency centre has opened at Horsham Senior Citizens Centre on Roberts Ave.

The fire is not under control and a wind change is expected within the next hour that will make the fire move toward Natimuk.

“Natimuk and surrounding areas could be impacted anytime up to 2.30pm,” the warning reads.

“Leaving immediately is the safest option, before conditions become too dangerous.”

Authorities pleaded with Victorians to flee for their lives on Thursday before Friday’s devastating conditions. Picture: NewsWire / Jason Edwards
Emergency warnings impact thousands of residents

For the Longwood fire, ‘take shelter’ warnings are in place for: Ancona, Fawcett, Gooram, Merton, Strathbogie, Strathbogie South, Woodfield, Alexandra, Devils River, Fawcett, Lake Eildon, Maintongoon, Caveat, Creightons Creek, Dropmore, Gobur, Gooram, Highlands, Kanumbra, Kelvin View, Locksley, Longwood, Longwood East, Ruffy, Strathbogie, Tarcombe, Terip Terip, and Upton Hill.

“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive,” the warning reads.

“The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately. It is too late to leave.”

People south and west of the fire have been told to leave immediately if they have not already done so.

Residents in the following towns have been told to flee: Cathkin, Caveat, Ghin Ghin, Highlands, Kanumbra, Killingworth, Koriella, Limestone, Molesworth, Whanregarwen, Yarck.

“Leaving immediately is the safest option, before conditions become too dangerous,” the warning reads.

Another out-of-control blaze is also burning in the state’s northeast. Picture: NewsWire / Jason Edwards
“Emergency services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay.”

Emergency relief centres are open at the Seymour Sports and Aquatics Centre, the Mansfield Youth Centre and Benalla Town Hall.

 

Second blaze west of Walwa

Another blaze is burning across 20,000ha in the Mt Lawson State Park, near Wodonga on the Victoria-NSW border, with residents being told to leave immediately before conditions become too dangerous.

Residents have been urged to keep up to date with warnings via the EmergencyVIC app. Photo: Facebook
Residents in the following towns have been told to leave: Bungil, Walwa, Cudgewa, Koetong, Colac Colac, Nariel Valley and surrounds.

“That fire will continue to grow, and communities in that area need to keep a very close eye on that fire,” Forest Fire Management chief officer Chris Hardman said.

“ … things can always get worse, so if you’re surrounding those areas, you’re not necessarily out of danger.”

The out-of-control blaze is burning in a south-south-easterly direction, with residents urged to go to relief centres at the Upper Murray Event Centre at the Corryong Football Oval and Tallangatta Memorial Hall.

Residents in Koetong or Shelley should go to Wodonga via the Murray Valley Highway while those east of Berringama should travel toward the same area via Corryong using the Murray River Road river crossings in Tintaldra, Towong, and Brigenbrong.

Residents are urged not to stay and try and defend their properties. Picture: NewsWire / Jason Edwards
Drivers have been told not to use the river crossing at Jingellic.

Impacts in the area:

Road closures – local traffic only:

Murray Valley Highway between Lucyvale Road and Cudgewa Valley Rd.

Road closure – emergency vehicles only:

Murray Valley Highway between Annandale Road and Lucyvale Road
Shelley Road
Murray River Road between Granya Road and the Jingellic Road intersection.

‘Don’t be stupid’: Urgent warning

Authorities are pleading for residents to resist any temptation to stay and try to defend their homes.

Premier Jacinta Allen urged residents to not second-guess official advice or wait for conditions to worsen.

“For those who might be thinking that they can stay and defend in these conditions – don’t,” she warned.

“It’s dangerous, it’s not courageous. It puts your life and also to the lives of the emergency services at risk as well.

Ruffy’s CFA building was also affected by flames. Picture: Facebook
“And if you know someone who might be thinking they can stay and fight these fires, please tell them this plainly to not do so, because we have seen in recent history how fires … overwhelm people, equipment and any preparation you thought you may have made, you will not win simply against the fires of these magnitudes.”

Anthony Albanese said on Friday morning he had been receiving briefings from fire authorities and the Bureau of Meteorology.

Emergency support has been activated for those affected by the fires. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman
“This is an opportunity for me to emphasise that people need to listen to the advice, and as it comes through, if you’re asked to leave your property, please do,” the Prime Minister said.

“ … our thoughts are with all those confronting these difficult conditions today and over coming days.”

Conditions to worsen through Friday

Fire conditions are expected to worsen through the day, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning temperatures could reach 47C with damaging winds.

The Bureau and other authorities have warned that Friday’s fires will be unable to be contained.

“These conditions are extremely dangerous, and any fires that develop or are already burning will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to fight,” senior meteorologist Christie Johnson said.

Catastrophic fire danger warnings are in place across North Central, Northern Country, South West and Wimmera while extreme warnings are in place for Central, East Gippsland, Mallee, North East and West and South Gippsland.

“That includes the outer Melbourne area and that’s been created by the heatwave conditions,” Bureau meteorologist Sarah Scully said.

“We’ve got maximum temperatures across the Melbourne suburbs of 43C to 45C, but widespread 45C to high 40s across both Victoria and southeastern parts of South Australia.”

At least ten properties have been lost to the flames. Photo: Facebook
There are also fears Thursday’s fire-generated thunderstorms could be repeated on Friday, with lightning bands potentially starting further blazes.

“There’s a severe thunderstorm risk with damaging wind gusts that can cause erratic fire behaviour as those gusts hit the ground and make the wind direction very difficult to predict,” Ms Scully said.

“So with these elevated fire dangers, we have seen now a number of days of extreme heat, or heatwave conditions, that have dried the landscape considerably as well that dry lightning from those elevated thunderstorms could ignite new fires.

“If they get going, those fires are going to spread quickly and be difficult to control.”

ACT brings in fire ban for first time in six years

With temperatures topping 40C in parts of the ACT, a total fire ban has been declared for the first time since January 2020.

The ban will come in from midnight and will be in place for 24 hours over Saturday, when winds of 60km/h will combine with the heatwave.

“For us, it’s usually the winds that are the tipping factor,” ACT Rural Fire Service chief officer Rohan Scott said.

The weather conditions have sparked “elevated fire danger, meaning any fires that occur are likely to spread rapidly and be harder for firefighters to control”.

The fire ban is not expected to affect the nation’s largest car festival Summernats, which started on Thursday and will continue over the weekend.

Crowds of 130,000 are expected at the four day festival of cars, burnout competition and live music.

Loved ones fear for locals

Community social media pages have been flooded with requests for updates from loved ones as residents caught up in the fire fail to reach out.

One post shared revealed how a farmer who had decided to stay at his property was unable to be contacted.

“He is 84 now. He is on the farm on his own protecting our property and we cannot communicate with him. No working mobile and no way to get to him,” his family wrote.

A total fire ban is in place for the entire state of Victoria as catastrophic fire ratings (in red) affect large parts of the state. Source: Emergency VIC
“His wife and family would appreciate hearing he is safe. I’m sure he is as he is old school farmer tough but it’s not nice waiting to hear.

Requests for information about pets who have gone missing in the chaos, including dogs, horses and bulls, have also been spotted.

Others have offered up their homes and services to those affected by the fires.

“Please tell us what we can do. What do you need right now? We will try to get to you what ever is required. Don’t hesitate,” one person, who noted she was new to the area, wrote.

Good samaritins have also opened up their paddocks to people wishing to drop off horses and other livestock.

“With the fires impacting our region, we want to put it out there that we’re here to help anyone needing horses or livestock moved away from danger,” one person wrote.

“We can assist with tow vehicles and relocation where possible.”