Victorians urged to evacuate Otways as massive fire threatens to spread east towards more than 1,000 homes

<p>Fire in Otways has burned about 9,400 hectares and could spread as far as Lorne amid onset of heatwave in Victoria</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/jan/26/australia-invasion-day-protest-victoria-bushfire-weather-heatwave-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p></li><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>Residents of more than 1,000 homes in Victoria have been urged to leave before sunset in anticipation of a massive fire spreading and the onset of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/26/severe-heatwave-envelops-south-australia-as-victoria-braces-for-record-breaking-weather">a severe heatwave</a>.</p><p>Six fires were burning across the state on Monday afternoon, and authorities were concerned that Tuesday’s heatwave conditions and forecast northerly winds could cause the fire in the Otways to spread as far as Lorne.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jan/26/victoria-evacuate-otways-fire-spread-east-lorne-heatwave">Continue reading...</a>

Read the full article at: The Guardian World →