UPDATE 7.15pm:
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The fire was contained this afternoon, and emergency advice indicated there was no longer any threat to communities including Boorcan, Glenormiston North, Glenormiston South, Noorat, Noorat East and Kolora.
Below is some footage from the scene.
UPDATE 5pm:
Colac incident controller Dale Antonyfen said the fire at Glenormiston was contained and the incident warning had been downgraded to a ‘watch and act’.
He said there were reports one unoccupied, derelict house was burnt in the fire and up to four hundred hay bales were on fire.
Mr Antonyfen said the 31-hectare fire had mainly burnt private farmland and some roadside vegetation.
He said the focus of the next few hours would be putting out the hay bale fire.
“We’re still blacking out and mopping up the fire, and the bales will have to be pulled apart and extinguished,” Mr Antonyfen said.
The source of the fire’s ignition is under unvestigation.
The incident controller said crews had done a good job in difficult conditions.
“We had crews, both CFA and Forest Fire Management Victoria and controllers in place and we actually got out to the fire within minutes of the start. Our ground crews have done a good job in very difficult conditions,” he said.
Twenty-three tankers and five aircraft responded to the fire, including three waterbombing craft and two reconnaissance aircraft.
UPDATE 4.27pm:
A grass fire threatening residents in the Glenormiston, Noorat and Kolora areas is under control.
The CFA advises that staying close to shelter is the safest option in case conditions change again suddenly.
The watch and act message was issued to residents at Glenormiston North, Glenormiston South, Noorat, Noorat East and Kolora.
The CFA advises the best protection from radiant heat is distance.
“Don't wait, leaving now is the safest option - conditions may change and get worse very quickly. Emergency Services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay,” the warning says.
The CFA advises people to travel to:
- The home of family or friends that are away from the warning area
- When you leave remember to take your pets, mobile phone and medications.
- If you encounter smoke or flames whilst travelling, turn around and drive to safety. If you're unable to turn around and drive to safety, a car offers more protection from the fire’s heat than being caught on foot in the open.
- Keep the roads clear so emergency services can respond.
- If you are away from home do not return.
The warning says if you stay, you should seek shelter indoors.
- Bring your pets indoors.
- all exterior doors, windows and vents and turn off cooling systems.
- Shelter in a room that has a door and or a window to the outside so you can keep an eye on what is happening with the fire.
Castle Carey Road has been closed.
EARLIER:
Residents in the Glenormiston, Noorat and Kolora areas are being urged to stay indoors because of an out of control grass fire.
More than 20 Country Fire Authority units from across the district are attempting to bring the fire at Glenormiston South under control.
The CFA has issued an Emergency Warning for those in Glenormiston North, Glenormiston South, Noorat, Noorat East and Kolora.
The grassfire is travelling in a northerly direction towards Castle Carey and Wallace roads, fanned by south-west winds gusting at up to 70km/h..
The emergency warning notice says residents are in danger, they need to act now to protect themselves.
“It is too late to leave,” the warning says.
“The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately. Do not get in the car and drive. It is safer to stay where you are.”
Several roads are closed. They are Castle Carey Road at Noorat Darlington Road and Boorcan Road.
The CFA says residents should:
- Bring your pets indoors;
- Close all exterior doors, windows and vents and turn off cooling systems;
- Shelter in a room that has a door and or a window to the outside so you can see what is happening with the fire;
- If you cannot get indoors, other last resort options include:
- A large open area like a ploughed paddock, football oval or sporting reserve or a large body of water like a dam, lake, river, the ocean or in-ground pool;
- Try to protect yourself from the fire's heat.
- In the car: If you are travelling, do not enter the area, turn around and drive to safety;
- If you are currently driving slow down and turn on your headlights; smoke will make it difficult to see;
- If caught in fire – Park behind a solid structure to block the fire's heat or pull over to cleared area.
- Try to position the car towards the approaching fire.
- Leave the engine on, close all windows.
- Turn on the air-conditioning and recirculation button / switch.
- Turn on your hazard lights and headlights.
- Get down as low as possible below window level and cover up with a woollen blanket.
The fire comes after the temperature dropped 14 degrees in about 30 minutes as the wind switched from the north-west to the west north-west.
Six CFA units are also on the scene of a building fire on the Camperdown-Lismore Road near Camperdown.