Leave now! Holidaymakers and residents told to flee French Island as out-of-control bushfire tears through popular tourist hotspot
A fire is burning out-of-control on French Island at Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
An emergency warning – the highest alert level – has been issued for the blaze at Ridge Track, which is travelling south towards McLeods Road.
People in the area have been told leaving now and heading towards the Tankerton Pier is the safest option, before conditions become too dangerous.
‘Emergency Services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay,’ the warning reads.
Authorities earlier downgraded emergency warnings in Victoria’s alpine region despite difficult fire conditions overnight.
There are 15 still raging in Victoria on Saturday afternoon, predominantly in the East Gippsland and the northeastern alpine regions.
Most are burning at ‘watch and act’ level or lower, but emergency warnings had been issued for fires near Mount Buffalo in Victoria’s alpine region, and briefly for Bulart, in the state’s southwest on Friday.
Both were downgraded to a ‘watch and act’ alert early on Saturday.
Authorities said firefighters were able to slow the spread of the blaze near Mount Buffalo but conditions could change at any time.
‘If you don’t feel safe, don’t wait, leaving now is the safest option – conditions may change and get worse very quickly,’ the new warning reads.
‘Emergency services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay.’
People living in Buffalo Creek, Merriang, and Merriang South had been told strong and erratic winds had significantly increased fire activity near them, and it was also recommended they evacuate.
In East Gippsland, a registration service has been established for people who fled Mallacoota, Genoa and Gipsy Point and want to return now that conditions have improved.
When it is safe to do so, emergency services and the Australian Defence Force will begin flights or escorted road transport into Mallacoota and surrounds, Victoria Police have confirmed.
Incident management specialists from the US and Canada arrived at Melbourne Airport on Saturday morning, ahead of being deployed to fires in the northeast and East Gippsland.
Also arriving from the US was the first of four large air tankers, which are set to be positioned strategically around the country over the next 50 days.
A contingent from the Fiji Military Force will also arrive in Melbourne on Saturday evening to start induction training before being deployed to East Gippsland, where a group from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force is already at work.
The arriving 54 personnel will be welcomed by the local Fijian community.
So far the blazes have burnt through more than 1.5 million hectares, 387 residential homes and 602 non-residential buildings.
Five men have also died during the fires.