Fire conditions escalate as Flowerdale blaze continues to burn
An uncontrolled grassfire north of Melbourne is growing in size as it burns for a third day.
The blaze at Flowerdale, about 90 minutes north of Melbourne, increased to about 800 hectares in size overnight.
A firefighting helicopter releases water over a fire burning in Flowerdale.Credit:Jason South
It’s believed no more structures like sheds or fences have been damaged so far.
On Wednesday, a 71-year-old Flowerdale man was arrested by investigators probing the cause of the fire. He was released pending further inquiries.
Victoria’s Country Fire Authority chief Jason Heffernan said the fire had been downgraded to “watch and act”, although the situation could quickly change as hot winds of about 70km/h are tipped to sweep through the area.
Temperatures across Victoria are set to soar above 30 degrees on Thursday.
“We’re in a heatwave situation here in Victoria and I expect fire conditions to continue to escalate today (and) in fact peak tomorrow,” Mr Heffernan told Nine’s Today show.
The Wimmera and southwest parts of the state are facing extreme fire danger.
“So the next couple of days are going to be very important for Victorian communities, particularly those that live near fires,” Mr Heffernan said.
AAP
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