SEVENTY fire trucks are currently battling blazes across Gippsland with approximately 350 firefighters already engaged as local fire brigades continue to assemble strike teams, comprising skilled firefighters, volunteers, and essential equipment; heading east as they are called on to do so.
A strong wind warning along the Gippsland coast and restricted access to roads are hampering efforts to bring large bushfires and grass fires under control with emergency warnings currently in place for Loch Sport, Forge Creek and Wattle Point (shelter Indoors now), Briagolong, Culloden, Moornapa, Cobbannah and surrounds (evacuate Immediately), and Rawson, Walhalla and Erica (prepare to evacuate).
Another grass and scrub fire has broken out in Outtrim with local fire crews including Kongwak attending to the blaze.
As strike teams (including vehicles and personal from Toora, Ruby, Dumbalk, Inverloch, Wonthaggi, San Remo, Phillip Island and Poowong) depart, remaining fire brigades are efficiently allocating their resources to ensure local areas remain protected.
The blaze at Loch Sport, a grass and peat fire, has prompted an emergency warning with the fire located 4.2km south west of town and moving in an easterly direction.
Gippsland ABC Radio spoke to Caroline Searle at the Loch Sport General Store at lunchtime today, with Mrs Searle reporting that most of the people who wanted to leave had been able to leave in the morning. It is now too late to leave.
"We’ve got a fire just south of the town, near the road that’s the only way out of the town, so we’re pretty scared," Mrs Searle said.
“I’m looking out of the window and the wind is absolutely ferocious and from time to time it gets really black.
“Fortunately, a lot of people left early this morning.
"It’s travelling up the peninsula. We’ve been told to stay off the road. Got a lot of units in town. I just how the crews all stay safe.
“The road is blocked coming into town but they are still allowing people to go out.
“We’re usually told to go to the water if it gets really bad but that’s a couple of streets over.
“Otherwise, we’ve been told to shelter indoors.
“We got a mobile phone message about what’s going on."
Other fires are burning north of Briagalong, south of Dargo and in the Rawson-Erica-Walhalla area.
Helen Hall, the owner of the Dargo Hotel said there had been quite a lot of confusion about what's happening from early in the morning.
"The campers all packed up this morning ready to leave but were sent back and they're wondering now if they'll be able to get home," said Mrs Hall.
"Our local fire siren just went off so we think there might be a fire closer but we don't know at this stage.
"You can see smoke, yes, to the south of the town."