CANBERRA: Multiple warnings were issued on Monday in the Australian state of Victoria after major bushfires broke out and destroyed one house.
According to VicEmergency, residents living in Cobbannah, Glenaladale, and Moornapa are strongly recommended to prepare for evacuation and monitor further alerts, as a bushfire in Briagolong, Gippsland Region, has not been under control with numerous others still active in the area, rpeorts Xinhua news agency.
Earlier in the day, Deputy Chief Officer for Country Fire Authority (CFA)'s South East Region Trevor Owen confirmed that one residence was ravaged by the Briagolong fire, which erupted at about 7 a.m. on Sunday and has already burnt 5,000 hectares with a perimeter of 42 km.
Despite milder weather conditions enabling firefighters to contain flames, CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan warned that Victorians are "not out of the woods".
"Today, we see challenging fire conditions in the northwest of the state, particularly for the Mallee Weather District with the declaration of a total fire ban from midnight last night to midnight tonight," Heffernan told local media.
"We are expecting 35 degrees temperatures there and hot northerly winds and we will see that come across the state in the next 24 hours, which again will bring elevated fire conditions into East Gippsland tomorrow," he added.