Western Victoria bushfires: Home lost, people told to flee Great Ocean Road towns

At least one home has been destroyed by fire and holiday makers evacuated from popular tourist spots along the Great Ocean Road, as out-of-control bushfires rage in western Victoria.

Some 80 bushfires and grassfires ignited in hot conditions on Saturday and hundreds of firefighters are racing to contain two that are burning out of control.

One is at Kadnook near the border with South Australia and the other is threatening communities along the Great Ocean Road, a major tourist drawcard in the state’s southwest.

Authorities evacuated campers and hikers from Otway National Park as they closed walking tracks close to the attraction, which shut for about six hours overnight over concerns about smoke and fire.

The blaze at Chapple Vale has ripped through about 700 hectares, with anyone still nearby told to leave immediately including those in Crowes, Gellibrand Lower, Johanna, Johanna Heights, Lavers Hill, Stalker, Wangerrip, Wattle Hill and Yuulong.

“Don’t wait, leaving now is the safest option - conditions may change and get worse very quickly,” an alert from the Vic Emergency website states.

“Emergency services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay.

“By choosing to stay, you and your family may be at risk of serious injury or death.”

The fire at Kadnook claimed one home and authorities believe two others may have been burnt down, on top of stock and agricultural losses.

The fire is ripping through rough terrain so water bombing aircraft were used to attack the flames, which CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said had destroyed 1000 hectares at a private bluegum plantation.

“(It is) quite undulating country, which will be challenging for firefighters to be able to get in there and get containment around it,” he told reporters at the State Control Centre on Sunday.

The cool change has kicked in but there is now a concern lighting and strong winds could flare fire conditions.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for damaging, locally destructive winds and heavy rainfall for parts of Victoria’a southwest coast and northeast.

“It’s definitely concerning that we have seen lightning through that part of the state where we have obviously seen fire conditions already, and with the elevated westerly winds this afternoon it is going to pose an impact,” Senior Meteorologist Keris Arndt said.

There were more than 200 requests for assistance to the SES in the 24 hours to 10am on Sunday, including about 70 in Shepparton in central Victoria related to trees and powerlines down in storms.