A 15-year-old girl has been charged over a bushfire on Saturday which took 300 firefighters to put out.
The teenager was charged with intentionally starting the blaze, but has received bail to reappear in a children’s court at a later date.
About 30 residents in Carrum Downs, in southeast Melbourne, were evacuated on Saturday during the fire, while emergency services battled through the night to contain it.
A 15-year-old girl has been charged with intentionally setting a bushfire in southeast Melbourne on Saturday
The blaze took 300 firefighters to put out, and emergency services were forced to work through the night to put out the blaze
Residents were ordered to leave their homes on Saturday, after a wind change threatened nearby homes
The out of control fire was spurred on by a late-afternoon wind change, and lead to evacuations towards the Eynesbury township.
Carrum Downs resident Jimmy Crozier tried to fight the fire with only his garden hose as a weapon, but was unable to stop his home of 30 years catching alight.
Flames attached to his back fence and air conditioning unit, and caused moderate damage.
‘I went out to just dampen down the backyard, the fence and the sheds – whatever I could do,’ he told Nine News.
About 30 residents in Carrum Downs, in southeast Melbourne, were evacuated on Saturday during the fire
Firefighters are battling an out-of-control blaze that is threatening a number of suburban homes
One of two firefighting helicopters fighting the fire drops water at Carrum Downs in Melbourne
On Saturday, Vic Emergency warned residents of Carrum Downs, Frankston North, Langwarrin and Skye leaving immediately was ‘the safest option’.
‘Emergency Services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay,’ they said.
The fire broke out on Blue Wren Rise in Carrum Downs at about 2.40pm, and thirty crews of firefighters were sent in response.
The bushfire then travelled in a south-easterly direction towards Lexton Drive.
Two fire helicopters were ordered to the scene and water-bombed the blaze from the air, joined by fire crews on the ground.
Residents should remember to take pets, mobile phone and medications, and travel to the home of family or friends that are away from the warning area.
A fire helicopter was on the scene water-bombing from the air, joined by fire crews on the ground
A man is seen watering a rooftop at Carrum Downs in Melbourne despite residents being warned to leave
‘Don’t wait, leaving now is the safest option – conditions may change and get worse very quickly,’ Vic Emergency warned
Pictured: A bushfire breaks out of control near the Peninsula link Freeway in Carrum Downs, Melbourne
The fire damaged 10 hectares of land, one home, four sheds and fencing, and over 300 firefighters were involved in combating the blaze.
‘It traveled several kilometres in the first hour. A lot of embers were being thrown up in front of the fire which caused a lot of concern,’ CFA Assistant Chief Officer Trevor Owens told The Herald Sun.
‘Firefighters have made a tremendous effort to get in top of what has been a difficult day of extreme heat, low humidity and strong northerly winds. It was a very very good outcome.’
This map shows the area where residents were ordered to leave after a bushfire threatened homes on Saturday
Pictured: A bushfire burns houses in Flora Park Way, Carrum Downs in Melbourne
A man is seen watering a rooftop at Carrum Downs in Melbourne, Saturday, January 6
In South Australia’s southeast a local farmer reported a ‘wall of flames’ as an extremely dangerous bushfire raged out of control through scrub and grassland.
An emergency warning was issued on Saturday afternoon for the Sherwood, Brimbago, Lowan Vale, McCallum and Senior areas near the South Australian-Victorian border.
‘If you are in this area you are in danger. There is a risk to your life and property,’ the CFS said.
‘Take shelter inside a solid building. Do not leave or enter this area in a vehicle or on foot. It is too late to leave and the roads will not be safe.’
Burnt out land is seen at Carrum Downs in Melbourne after a bushfire ravaged the area
Damage is seen to a home on Darnley Drive at Carrum Downs by Saturday’s out-of-control bushfire
Resident Ray O’Halloran looks at the damage done to his motor home bus during a bushfire in Carrum Downs
The bushfire damaged at least one house in Carrum Downs, southeast Melbourne
By 3pm the blaze had burnt through more than 4000 hectares and remained a threat to farm buildings and equipment.
The CFS said more than 70 firefighters had been deployed to the area and the blaze was also being attacked by four water bombers.
Local farmer Robyn Verrall said her husband was fighting the blaze which was about 20 kilometres from their property when it broke out.
A local resident posted photos of a huge blaze sweeping through Sherwood, South Australia
Images posted on Twitter showed trees and grass on fire while a video shows thick smoke blanketing paddocks, significantly reducing visibility
Local farmer Robyn Verrall (pictured) said her husband was fighting the blaze which was about 20 kilometres from their property when it broke out
Residents stand along McClelland Drive, Skye as a fire burns in the bushland behind their homes in Melbourne
Images she posted on Twitter showed trees and grass on fire while a video shows thick smoke blanketing paddocks, significantly reducing visibility.
‘At (the) fire scene, it’s a wall of flames,’ Ms Verrall said.
Police said the blaze closed the Dukes Highway at one stage but it had since reopened.
However, police said the Ngarkat Highway, between Bordertown and Pinnaroo is closed, along with Emu Flat Road.
Local residents posted pictures of the blaze threatening homes at Carrum Vale, Melbourne
A man is seen watering a rooftop at Carrum Downs in Melbourne, Saturday, January 6
Two water-bombing helicopters were ordered to the scene to protect threatened properties
The southeast blaze came amid soaring temperatures and catastrophic fire conditions in SA’s Mt Lofty Ranges, and upper and lower southeast.
The state’s 12 other districts were either severe or extreme, with authorities considering the conditions as the worst in several years.
Other fires were also burning in SA but the CFS said those at Happy Valley, Penfield and McLaren Vale had been contained.
Other incidents on Saturday included the failure of the Alert SA smartphone app designed to warn residents of emergency situations.
The operators of the app said the issues were being investigated as a ‘critical priority’.
Adelaide had a top of 42.3C just after 1pm but by 3.30pm the mercury had dipped to about 35C as a cool change continued to move across the state.
CFS crews refilled their trucks while they attend a fire at Southern Waste Resource Co near McLaren Vale, South Australia
Pictured: CFS crews attend a fire at Southern Waste ResourceCo near McLaren Vale, South Australia