Melbourne — Severe wildfires have swept through Australia’s Victoria state, destroying more than a hundred homes and buildings and leaving around 38,000 households and businesses without electricity, authorities said on Saturday.
Officials reported that the fires, which broke out amid an intense heatwave earlier this week, have already burned more than 300,000 hectares of forest and land. At least 10 major blazes remain active across the state, with thousands of firefighters deployed in ongoing efforts to contain the flames.
According to state authorities, at least 130 structures, including homes, have been destroyed. Power outages caused by the fires have affected tens of thousands of residents and businesses, compounding the disruption caused by evacuations and road closures.
The Victorian government described the situation as the state’s worst wildfire emergency since the devastating 2019–2020 “Black Summer” bushfires, which scorched an area roughly the size of Turkey and claimed 33 lives nationwide.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, speaking in a televised address from Canberra, warned that the country was facing “extreme and dangerous fire conditions,” particularly in Victoria. He said large parts of the state had been declared disaster zones and expressed solidarity with affected communities, especially those in regional areas.
Reuters reported that residents in high-risk areas have been ordered to evacuate, while numerous parks and campgrounds have been closed for safety reasons. Heatwave warnings remain in effect across much of Victoria, and Australia’s meteorological authorities have also issued fire danger alerts for neighboring New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
Emergency services have urged residents to remain vigilant as hot, dry, and windy conditions continue to pose a serious threat of further fire spread.
