Bushfire burning in Grampians threatening communities, with locals in Mafeking and Watgania told to leave immediately

Two communities are under threat as an afternoon wind change threatens to push an out of control bushfire towards them.

An emergency warning has been issued on Friday afternoon for residents in Mafeking and Watgania to leave immediately, as the blaze in Victoria’s Grampians National Park intensifies.

The fire has grown to at least 7800 hectares after being sparked by a series of lightning strikes on Tuesday.

“This is one that’s unfortunately going to be with us for quite a while,” State Control Centre spokesman Luke Hegarty said.

An afternoon wind change was expected to present challenges for firefighters and send smoke across central western Victoria.

“This afternoon, we are expecting this fire to really have the potential to grow,” Hegarty said.

Authorities have also urged residents of Karabeal, southwest of the Grampians, to stay near shelter after a grassfire sparked near Walters road.

There are fires burning in at least six parts of Victoria, and a watch and act warning has been issued for Woodland Close and The Gurdies near French Island.

The Grampians fire has sparked raft of tourism cancellations at the popular camping and hiking destination.

Dunkeld Caravan Park caretaker Erin Hinchliffe said the campsite, south of the bushfire, remains open for business but there had been 30 cancellations, leaving just four sites booked.

“I think we’re starting to get a little bit on edge because of not knowing what’s actually going to happen with the weather patterns today ... I know a lot of resources have been put into it,” she told ABC Radio Melbourne.

Hinchcliffe said the fire’s timing just before Christmas had been a major hit to what would have been the campground’s busiest period since before the pandemic.

“We had a full house. It was the first time in six years that we’ve been able to get the occupancy up over Christmas and New Year period,” she said.

Emergency Management Victoria controller Mark Gunning said the area around the fire, which started near Yarram Gap Road, was already extremely dry and very little rain has been forecast.

“It is in really challenging country, which has allowed the fire to establish on the escarpment,” he said.

Red sky covers Melbourne, other parts of Victoria

The large blaze has blanketed parts of Victoria and Melbourne in smoke, producing an orange-tinged sky.

Heavy smoke has been reported around Ballarat, Dandenong, Point Cook, Caroline Springs, Sunshine, Moonee Ponds and Bacchus Marsh.

An air quality warning for areas around the Grampians National Park has been issued, but not yet for other parts of the state.

“You may see or smell smoke in your area that is a result of the bushfire in the Grampians National Park,” VicEmergency said.

“Smoke can be carried long distances in the atmosphere.”

Extreme fire danger has been forecast and total fire bans are in place for the Wimmera and Mallee districts on Friday.

High fire danger is expected to persist in western, northwestern and nothern Victoria into next week.

Two air tankers have been water bombing the fire continuously, assisting a significant deployment of the state’s aerial firefighting resources.

Some roads and areas of the Southern Grampians are closed but large, popular tourist sections of the national park remain open to visitors.