Victoria is confronting a perilous mix of extreme weather, as ongoing strong winds threaten to complicate firefighting efforts while communities continue to recover from devastating floods. Nearly a dozen bushfires across the state have burned more than 410,000 hectares, destroying almost 900 structures, including 259 homes.
The worst-affected areas are in the state’s north-east, where the Longwood fire has scorched about 137,000 hectares and the Walwa fire 100,000 hectares. High temperatures and gusty winds last week sparked widespread blazes, prompting emergency services to declare multiple firegrounds as high-risk zones.
Although some relief is on the horizon, with widespread rainfall forecast over the coming days, meteorologists caution that the northern firegrounds may only receive minimal precipitation. “The key firegrounds of Walwa and Longwood are expected to receive up to 10 millimetres of rain, though single-digit totals are more likely,” said meteorologist Angus Hines. He warned that gusty winds could cause the blazes to flare up again.
State Emergency Service (SES) spokesperson Alistair Drayton said easing conditions could assist firefighters. “There’s no guarantee that these rains will put the fires out, but the conditions will allow firefighters to build containers around the fires,” he said. At the same time, David Nugent from the State Control Centre urged caution, noting that storm activity could lead to falling trees, adding further hazards to already dangerous fire zones.
Meanwhile, Victoria’s south-west is only beginning to recover from unprecedented flooding. Record-breaking rainfall of 180 millimetres across the Wye, Kennett, and Cumberland rivers on Thursday afternoon caused rivers to burst their banks, sweeping dozens of cars into the sea and forcing hundreds to seek shelter. Dramatic footage showed vehicles being carried away by raging currents in the popular tourist spot of Lorne.
Rescue operations were swift, with police winching stranded residents to safety, including a man trapped on a roof at Cumberland River. Some people remain trapped in caravans, highlighting the ongoing threat from heavy rainfall. Drayton described the extreme weather as “extraordinary,” noting that emergency crews moved from firegrounds to flood zones within the same day.
The dual disasters have stretched emergency services thin, prompting volunteer firefighters to call for a formal inquiry into bushfire preparedness. Demonstrators gathered on the steps of Victorian Parliament on Thursday, citing outdated equipment and excessive red tape as key issues affecting workforce morale. John Houston, a lifelong volunteer firefighter, said, “We want people to be excited about going to fight fires, but when you’ve got gear that’s not right, people just get despondent.”
According to the state firefighters’ union, 792 Country Fire Authority (CFA) tankers are outdated or unsafe, including 230 tankers over 31 years old. Emergency Services Minister Vicki Ward defended the government’s record, asserting that the CFA had been adequately funded, while Country Fire Service chief officer Jason Heffernan acknowledged that firefighters often blamed themselves for losses despite the blazes being “unstoppable” under catastrophic-rated conditions.
In response to the disasters, the Victorian and federal governments announced $82 million in funding to restore roads and public transport infrastructure damaged by fires. Premier Jacinta Allan emphasized that a formal review of the 2025 bushfire season, led by the Inspector General for Emergency Management, would occur once risks subsided. Meanwhile, the release of the CFA’s 2024/25 annual report remains pending, sparking political tensions. Opposition Leader Jess Wilson accused the Premier of misleading Victorians, though Ward attributed delays to auditing processes.
As Victoria faces both fire and flood threats, authorities are urging residents to remain vigilant. With extreme weather expected to continue, the state’s emergency services remain on high alert, balancing firefighting and flood rescue operations across multiple fronts.
