Relief centres for evacuees set-up in Ararat, Maryborough and Ballarat
Hundreds of firefighters have been battling to save dozens of properties in Victoria's west from what authorities have labelled, an 'extremely active' bushfire. More homes have been destroyed, but many have been saved. Relief centres for evacuees have been set-up in several areas including Ballarat.
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00:00 Still smouldering, blackened fields surround the small hamlet of Raglan in Western Victoria.
00:07 Just metres separate these homes from total devastation.
00:11 One belongs to Kerry Royal and her family, who are today counting their blessings.
00:17 It's still hard to see that it's all black, but hey, we've got houses, we've got people,
00:21 and lives are more important than property.
00:24 She escaped with her two children and some pets while her husband fought the fire.
00:29 Gone through the two houses, so they've had a truck over next door, a couple over there, and a few here.
00:35 Miss Mumbles used up one of her lives after missing the evacuation.
00:40 Others though lost everything.
00:42 More than 13,000 hectares is burnt.
00:45 A final count of exactly what has been destroyed is still some time away.
00:50 Awful. Just fire was coming from every direction.
00:54 And moving so fast across the grass.
00:59 You can see where the fire has ripped through parts of Raglan.
01:04 Residents were forced to flee yesterday.
01:07 Today they've been able to return to assess the damage and they've been out putting out smouldering spot fires.
01:14 But the threat has since moved north with other communities today facing emergency warnings to evacuate.
01:22 CFA volunteer Michael Dryden from the nearby town of Amphitheatre was one of the many working to save property yesterday.
01:30 The first place where we lost the house was horrific.
01:32 I was actually a bit scared there.
01:35 It got that close, we had fire on both sides of the truck, and it was really, really hot.
01:40 An overnight wind change turning his attention today to his own home.
01:45 We're just watching the wind, really. Watching the wind on those hills over there.
01:49 Those fighting the fires are being praised for their extraordinary efforts.
01:54 Overnight there was well over a thousand people, a thousand firefighters on the ground.
02:00 Aerial support has potentially saved up to 50 properties.
02:04 While the worst of the threat has eased for now, potentially more dangerous conditions are expected next week.
02:11 [BLANK_AUDIO]