Emergency warning issued for Mooralla and Woohlpooer in state’s west

ABC NEWS (Australia)

In Victoria fire authorities fear two blazes in the Grampians could join to create one large fire front and the weather is set to worsen over coming days. Residents in parts of the south-west region of the Grampians have been told to evacuate.

Transcript

00:00In the shadow of looming danger, volunteers are fighting fire with fire.

00:09The southern Grampians blaze has been burning out of control for several days.

00:13Ten kilometres from the front line, backburns are creating lines of defence.

00:17It can absolutely be the difference between life and death.

00:21Towns that aren't in immediate danger are getting ready.

00:23Yeah, look, there's quite a bit of nervousness.

00:26Especially as this weekend's temperatures are predicted to soar.

00:29Saturday through to Tuesday of next week, it's all in that 36 to 40 range.

00:34Very hot and with a shifting wind likely on Saturday.

00:37If that wind becomes northerly, authorities fear the blaze could burn towards the historic

00:42township of Cavendish.

00:43Yeah, that's the major concern.

00:45The Coates family has farmed here for a century.

00:48Pam Coates wrote this list.

00:50It's the things that you can't replace.

00:52The last time they were in bushfire danger.

00:54It's stayed on my fridge for a number of years now.

00:58So that's something I'll grab and that'll be my checklist.

01:04Authorities hope backburning gets firefighters onto the front foot.

01:07These are locations that are strategically identified.

01:12They're due to be burnt to create breaks that if the fire escapes from the national park,

01:17that the firefighters can actually combat the fire.

01:20Today, dozens of volunteers worked along the road between Cavendish and Dunkels.

01:25Their work won't stop until the fire danger does.

01:28In these situations, everyone just drops what they're doing and supports the community at large.

01:33Right now, that need is enormous.

01:36Over the next few days, firefighters are planning to burn hundreds of hectares just like this

01:42in an effort to save potentially thousands more.

01:46But it all depends on the weather and the conditions as to what they can do and how they can do it.

01:53While conditions allow, the work continues.

01:56You can only do so much and then it's the luck, isn't it?

02:01In the hills and valleys that weren't so lucky, blackened trunks are already turning green.

02:05A region resilient in the face of what has been and what could come.

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