'Looks like lava': Terrifying photo of hillside consumed by bushfire
A Victorian woman has shared a “scary” photo of “lava-like” fires enveloping a hill in the state’s northeast.
Melissa Ericksen, who lives in Euroa, shared a photo of Balmattum Hill on Facebook on Saturday.
“Balmattum Hill is really glowing tonight, however not as much as all of our incredible and selfless emergency services,” she wrote.
“Thank you.”
Nearby Maindample Rural Fire Brigade shared Ms Ericksen’s photo on its Facebook page.
“Wow, looks like lava,” it wrote.
One woman wrote she would “almost” call the photo stunning “If it wasn't so scary”.
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Another woman called the sight “just incredible”.
“This is incredible, beautiful, and scary all in one,” another woman wrote.
CFA incident controller Tim Holland told Shepparton News on Saturday “firefighters should be proud” for their efforts in protecting Euroa from fire.
The bushfire at Strathbogie-Euroa Road burnt through about 385 hectares.
Showers could give respite for firefighters
The cool weather that has brought relief to Victoria will continue on Monday, with showers expected to give firefighters some respite before the heat returns later in the week.
The fire danger rating forecast for East Gippsland and the north east of Victoria on Monday is low to moderate, with temperatures of under 20C forecast.
The intense fire activity in the southeast and northeast of Victoria, however, is producing hazardous smoke conditions that are likely to worsen on Monday, EPA Victoria said.
Emergency warnings are in place for East Gippsland communities in the path of bushfires at Cann Valley and in the Drummer and Merremingger state forests.
Light rain fell across Victoria on Sunday, but authorities urged people to remain vigilant.
"This will be a changing, dynamic situation. We know that the weather will start to warm up and that when we get into Thursday and Friday, potential spike days again," Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said.
More than a million hectares have burnt statewide, 800,000 of them in East Gippsland alone.
Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed four Victorians are still unaccounted for in fire-affected areas.
An emergency warning is currently in place for Wangarabell, Wingan River and Wroxham.
A watch and act remains in place for Abbeyard, Bennies, Buckland, Carboor and surrounding areas with a bushfire 6km east of Whitfield in the Black Range not yet under control.
With AAP
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