Victorian country firefighters battle a blaze at Dawson this morning, part of a fire that has extended 25,000 hectares across the south-eastern part of the state. Picture: Nicole Garmston Source: Herald Sun
Resident Ben May saw a house in Seaton go up in flames. Picture: Nicole Garmston Source: Herald Sun
FOUR firefighters were caught in their truck in the path of a bushfire in south-eastern Victoria, where a fast-moving fire has razed several homes.
The blaze, which started in Aberfeldy, had grown from about 950 hectares at 7pm yesterday to 25,000 hectares today.
A southwesterly wind change means the fire is now moving in a northeasterly direction.
An updated CFA emergency warning was issued just after 10.30am for Lake Glenmaggie, Dawson, Glenmaggie, Heyfield and Seaton. The fire is moving through these areas now.
Incident controller Laurie Jeremiah said several properties had been destroyed but he was unable to confirm the exact number or locations.
"A number of the spot fires in and around Seaton and Glenmaggie are now joining up so we have many, many properties that we now need to do an inspection of to make sure everybody's accounted for," he told ABC Radio.
A family had to rescued from their Seaton property, ABC Television reported.
They were safe but their home was destroyed.
A State Control Centre spokeswoman said she could confirm one home had been lost but not its location.
She said four firefighters had to take shelter in their truck as the Glenmaggie blaze passed over them.
"They are all okay," she said.
"They would have been working around the fire front and just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
The fire truck was still able to be used, she said.
State Commander John Haynes said the fire was tearing through areas affected five years ago.
Mr Haynes it was an "uncanny'' fire as spot fires led to it moving more quickly than predicted.
"This fire actually burnt in areas that were burnt in 2007 so it's not large fuel amounts, it's limited fuel, but it ran very hard and it came out about four hours earlier than what we thought,'' he said.
About 60km to the north, the tiny township of Licola is isolated. Flames surround the town and have cut off the only road in and out.
Residents still in Licola have been advised of shelter options including private bunkers, neighbourhood safe places or bodies of water, such as dams.
Licola Wilderness Village program manager Cherry Wake said 61 children and 15 adults left the holiday village, which has a school adventure camp and caravan park, on Thursday night.
About 10 staff and 20 caravan park residents remained in the village, Ms Wake said.
"We're all pretty calm. We've prepared as much as we can, It's (now) sit and wait."
Half the residents in the area are CFA trained and fire-ready, Ms Wake said.
"We're feeling as prepared as we can be.
"We're trying to keep things moist, got sprinklers on and manning the phones."
In South Australia, firefighters are continuing to battle an uncontrolled bushfire in the state's mid-north which is pushing smoke towards the township of Jamestown.
The CFS said the fire at Bundaleer North, near Wehrmann Rd, Humphris Rd, Burnside Rd and Springs Rd is travelling northeast towards RM Williams Way.
The fire, which began on Wednesday, has burnt through more than 2300 hectares of pine forest.
The CFS said the fire may threaten the safety of people in the area.
Temperatures across South Australia have cooled considerably on Friday, after many areas were in the 40s on yesterday.
Adelaide hit 43 degrees, its fifth day above 40 so far this summer, but its forecast for today is 27.
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