At least two homes and three other buildings have been destroyed as fires continue to rage across Victoria. A massive 6280-hectare blaze is tearing through the Bunyip State Park, near Tonumbik, about 65 kilometres east of Melbourne. It is the largest fire in Victoria and an evacuation alert remains in place for the town of Labertouche, with the blaze expected to reach the area by midday. There are currently 25 fires burning across the state. Aircraft will be sent up on Sunday to work out what type of buildings were destroyed by fires at Bunyip State Park.<doc-sep>Several homes have been destroyed and more than 20 schools will be closed on Monday as two out-of-control bushfires threaten communities in Victoria's east. Key points: Emergency warnings were in place for two fires in the state's east on Sunday night Emergency warnings were in place for two fires in the state's east on Sunday night Authorities said a south-westerly wind change could push the bushfires north Authorities said a south-westerly wind change could push the bushfires north Check all of the latest warnings on the VicEmergency website At least five buildings, including homes, have been destroyed by separate bushfires at Bunyip and Yinnar North and evacuees have told the ABC they expect more houses will be lost. Lightning strikes on Friday sparked several fires in the Bunyip State Park, which created a bushfire complex that has burnt more than 11,000 hectares and destroyed several homes. Residents who evacuated from Tonimbuk, Garfield North and other communities bordering the park have told the ABC they saw "insane" flames sweep through the area. Tonimbuk resident Karen said she realised her home had been destroyed when she saw photographs online. "We've seen photos of what's left of our house and there's nothing … it's all gone," she told ABC Radio Melbourne. Several homes have been destroyed by the Bunyip State Park bushfires. ( ABC News "I'm not the only one, there are other people who've lost stuff too so I'm just, I'm one of a lot of people who are going through this right now and we're just trying to be brave." At least three buildings have been destroyed by the Bunyip bushfire complex, including two homes in the Garfield North area. Victoria's Department of Education and Training said 23 schools would be closed on Monday across the region, including primary schools in Churchill, Drouin and Yinnar. Longwarry North resident Kiery-Anne Clissold said she had tried her best to prepare her home before evacuating with her family of six on Friday night. She said she had "no idea" if her home was still standing. Sorry, this video has expired Bushfire evacuee Kiery-Anne Clissold said the flames were "hundreds of feet high" The fire was moving south on Sunday and authorities closed the Princes Freeway between Nar Nar Goon and Drouin as flames reached the road. On Sunday night, firefighters had managed to stop sparks from creating new fires next to the freeway. Authorities said on Sunday night they hoped to reopen the major road connecting communities throughout Victoria's east as soon as possible. Up to 850 people, 120 fire trucks and 20 aircraft were used to battle Bunyip blaze on Sunday. Several evacuees from the Bunyip bushfire came to the Robin Hood Inn in Drouin West. ( ABC News: Damian McIver A south-westerly wind change which moved across the state on Sunday evening brought cooler temperatures, but raised fears it could push fires further north. Authorities said the wind change could push the Bunyip bushfire complex towards Powelltown. Earlier, Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp implored people in the path of the fires to stay safe and to heed the warnings. Sorry, this video has expired Intense fires burn through eastern Victoria "It's a dangerous time, putting it bluntly, not just for communities but for firefighters," he said. "[The] fire and emergency services are doing everything we can in relation to this particular fire under very trying circumstances. "This is an active fire. It is moving and there is every likelihood there will be more fire losses." See all of the communities across Victoria included in the latest warnings on the VicEmergency website. 'People cannot expect a fire truck at every house' Mr Crisp conceded there were some "very difficult circumstances on the ground" as helicopter images sent from the scene showed houses fully engulfed in flames with no fire trucks nearby. "I want to be really, really clear that people cannot expect a fire truck at every house," he said. "There's just not enough to go around. "It gets to a point where we're not prepared to put our firefighters in danger." Smoke rises in the sky after water bombing of fires in Maryknoll. ( Supplied: Lisa Willems Gippsland homes 'completely enveloped' in fire zone Further east, firefighters are still battling to bring a 1,500-hectare blaze at Yinnar South near Morwell under control, after it destroyed at least two buildings. People at Budgeree, Jeeralang, Jumbuk and Yinnar were being urged to leave and a relief centre had been set up at Kernot Hall in Morwell. Yinnar South resident Bernard Marsh, who had evacuated to Morwell, said he was "pretty confident" his house was either badly burnt or destroyed. Bernard Marsh followed the bushfire's progress from the Morwell relief centre. ( ABC News: Nicole Asher "My house has been completely enveloped in what they call the fire area," he said. "It's not good." Jan Davidson, who was at a Warragul food relief centre, said people who had arrived from bushfire-affected communities were "shell-shocked". "A lady came in with a cat, she had just lost her house and she just had a cat, and all she wanted to do was sit there," Ms Davidson told ABC Radio Melbourne. She said some of the evacuees had turned down community offers of a spare bed, because they just wanted to "be alone" and have their own space. "But the community support is just amazing … it just blows your mind, how wonderful they are," she said. An emergency warning which was in place for a fire burning at Dargo, in the state's north-east had been downgraded to a watch and act by Sunday night. Another fire continues to burn at Licola in the Alpine National Park where watch and act messages were current at 10:30pm. A house goes up in flames in the Bunyip fire, east of Melbourne. ( ABC News The Bureau of Meteorology's Dean Narramore said the Licola fire looked "very, very dangerous" on satellite images. "It's actually so big it's producing its own lightning," he said. A house destroyed by fire in eastern Victoria. ( ABC News Mr Crisp said the battle to fight the fires would likely continue for a number of days. "We've got a tough day today but it doesn't finish today," he said. "The change is quite shallow and we'll still see warmer temperatures … again tomorrow. "In fact we've probably got no relief until Wednesday when there's some rain that's forecast. But we've got to get through today."<doc-sep>Rain has helped firefighters stop a bushfire from threatening Dargo and slow down two merging out-of-control blazes northwest from the town. Earlier, a grassfire in Bangholme threatened lives and homes before being contained as fires continue to rage across the state’s east. LATEST PHOTOS, VIDEO Rain has helped firefighters stop a bushfire from threatening Dargo and slow down two merging out-of-control blazes northwest from the town. Firefighters have been able to stop the progress of the bushfire within 1.6km of the town, about 85km northwest of Bairnsdale, which has been downgraded to a watch and act message. The news comes as firefighters and locals battle major blazes in other parts of Gippsland, including Bunyip in West Gippsland, where at least seven properties have been razed, Yinnar South, near Morwell, where at least two structures have been destroyed, and the high country community of Licola. For the most up-to-date fire information, go to emergency.vic.gov.au FULL LIST OF TUESDAY SCHOOL CLOSURES A watch and act message is now in place for residents of Billabong, Black Snake Creek, Budgee Budgee, Cowa, Crooked River, Dargo, Gibbs, Hawkhurst, Howittville, Maguires, Miowera, Peter the Swede, Shepherdson, Talbotville, Waterford, Winchester and Wongungarra for the three fires. The two merging fires, about 20km northwest of Drago, continue to burn towards each other but progress has slowed significantly in the rain. Residents are urged to stay close to a building they can shelter in as conditions can change suddenly. Spot fires have not been seen in the township but are occurring on the Dargo Rd, the main road out of town. There is a spot fire located on Moroka Junction Track, southwest of the main fire, 4.3 km northwest of Shepherdson, which is actively burning. Earlier, one of the fires hit the tiny locality of Howittville, northwest of Dargo, and was threatening the Winchester area. Leanne Estcourt at the Dargo Hotel earlier said residents were fighting to save their properties as the fire loomed close to town. “It’s taken off again and spot fires have cut off the way out of town and everyone has rushed out to their properties,” she told the Herald Sun. “It’s like it’s trying to surround us.” She said she could see nothing but smoke, with no ember attack at this stage. “But if we get an easterly wind, we’ll get embers,” she said. The Dargo Hotel. Picture: Google Maps Fires in the Dargo area had burned more than 9500ha this afternoon, up dramatically from 4500ha early this morning. Fire-bombing aircraft are active in the area. An additional watch and act warning issued for communities near Dargo including Angusvale, Budgee Budgee, Castleburn, Cobbannah, Iguana Creek, Merrijig, Moornapa, Ryans, Tabberabbera, The Swamp, Treasures has been downgraded to an advice message. The Bangholme blaze started near Harwood Rd and Dandenong-Frankston Rd in Bangholme. Plumes of smoke could be seen from the EastLink freeway as fire crews responded to the fire. The grassfire is now under control. An advice message remained in place as of 8pm. Traffic is slowing on EastLink at Bangholme with grass fire in nearby paddock. Picture: Stephen Drill Late on Monday evening fire crews continued to battle 27 fires burning across the state with six Watch and Act messages in place. The massive Bunyip bushfire has now ravaged 14,400ha, while the Licola fire has expanded to more than 17,100ha, up from about 14,000ha this morning. The Yinnar South fire, which was the subject of an emergency warning earlier today, has now razed almost 1840ha, up from 1400ha this morning. A spot fire is seen on the Bunyip side of the Princes Highway yesterday. Picture: AAP Image/James Ross A cloud of smoke over Bald Hill Rd at a cattle station just out of Pakenham. Picture: Stephen Pretty Burnt out sheds in Bunyip North. Picture: Mark Stewart As of 4pm, more than 200 firefighters and multiple aircraft are still trying to bring the bushfire under control at Morwell National Park. A converted dump truck nicknamed ‘Priscilla Queen of the Fire Line’ is helping fight the fire. Owner and driver Cameron Gunn designed it last September to tackle plantation fires. It holds 40,000 litres of water and is the only one of its kind in Australia. The purpose-built truck can drive along steep terrain and was used to hose down flames along the fire’s edge this afternoon. Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Michael Efron earlier said the Dargo fire had created giant pyro-cumulonimbus clouds, towering thunder clouds that had been generated by the heat of the fires. Rex Newton, 69, surveys the remains of his Bunyip North home. Picture: Mark Stewart Horses on Tonimbuk Road, Tonimbuk. Picture: Mark Stewart A house lost at Tonimbuk from the Bunyip fire. A friend says the owners weren’t home and are OK. Picture: Mark Stewart Morwell National Park, near Yinnar, is ablaze. Picture: Jake Nowakowski He said weather conditions in the high country were likely to exacerbate the fire situation until after the arrival of a cool change early Wednesday morning that will reduce the temperature dramatically and may deliver snow flurries to places like Mount Baw Baw. “Around the Gippsland high country, we have real strong north to north-westerly winds that are aiding the development of those fires,” he told the Herald Sun. “Combined with quite warm and unstable conditions, those fires are growing and we are seeing lightning being generated. “Overnight we’ll see a drop in temperature, which might assist (firefighters) a little, but we’re still going to see that instability persisting, so still not great conditions out there tomorrow to control those fires.” The storms in the Dargo area would produce very little rain, erratic and gusty winds and lightning from the storms could start new fires, Mr Efron said. It may be cold enough following the change for snow flurries at Mt Baw Baw on Wednesday, he said. An emergency warning has been lifted for now on the fire at Yinnar South, 160km east of Melbourne, which has spread across 1400ha, where two structures so far have been destroyed. A series of community meetings were held today at: • Drouin — 11am, Drouin Cricket Club, Bellbird Park, 271 Settlement Rd, Drouin • Pakenham — 1pm, Cardinia Cultural Centre, 40 Lakeside Blvd, Pakenham • Koo Wee Rup — 3pm, Koo Wee Rup Bowls Club, Cochrane Park, Rossiter Rd, Koo Wee Rup Smoke billows from the Bunyip bushfire. Picture: Mark Stewart The fire between Labertouche and Jindivick. Picture: Ruth McGowan RESIDENTS EVACUATE WITH WHAT THEY COULD Pam Schingler fled her Bunyip home with her husband’s ashes, her wedding photo album and her 11-year-old parrot Oscar. Ms Schingler has limited mobility and was evacuated with the help of her daughter Kaye Schingler and Kaye’s fiancee Glenn Dixon, who all spent last night at the Drouin relief centre. She said it was the first time a fire had come so close to reaching her house. The moment she knew she was in danger was when black ash started raining down on her property. “There were lots of bits of black falling down all over the lawn,” she said. “The fire was on its way. I got a bit stressed out. You quickly throw a few things together and just think you’ve got to go. You can’t worry about material things.” Kaye and Pam Shingler and their dog Molly take shelter at the Drouin relief centre. Picture: Jake Nowakowski BUNYIP FIRES. Bunyip residents Barb and James Mackay and their children Jayde, 16, Chantelle, 16, Austin, 17, Sean, 11, Dylan, 13 and Zakk, 8 take shelter at the Drouin relief centre. Picture: Jake Nowakowski She described the sky as having an eerie glow. “It was grey with bits of bright orange. Even on Black Saturday it didn’t get that bad.” Fellow Bunyip residents Barb and James Mackay and their six children fled to the relief centre on Saturday afternoon. They have been nervously monitoring the VicEmergency app and estimate the fire was within a kilometre of their house. “If it had jumped the freeway we would have been in a bit of trouble,” Ms Mackay said. “But it’s worrying. You can see it growing and getting closer.<doc-sep>
The moment a home that was destroyed in the Victorian bushfires exploded has been caught on camera. The moment a home that was destroyed in the Victorian bushfires exploded has been caught on camera.... Out-of-control blazes are raging in Victoria’s east with communities being told it’s too late for them to leave tonight in what is being described as the state’s worst bushfires since Black Saturday a decade ago. In Crooked River, southeast of Omeo, communities of Cowa, Crooked River, Gibbs, Hawkhurst, Howittville, Shepherdson, Talbotville, Winchester and Wongungarra were told it is too late to leave and to shelter indoors immediately, the Herald Sun reports. The fire is travelling towards Howittville and could hit anytime in the next hour. Several communities 7km northwest of Dargo, have been placed on the “watch and act list”, with VicEmergency saying leaving now is the safest option. Black Snake Creek, Cowa, Dargo, Hawkhurst, Miowera, Peter the Swede are affected. South of Morwell, a bushfire remains out-of-control near Yinnar South. Emergency services have told communities southeast of the fire to enact their plan now. The warning includes Budgeree, Budgeree East, Jeeralang, Jeeralang Junction, Jeeralang North, Jumbuk, Yinnar and Yinnar South. Earlier today, the moment a home caught in the Victoria bushfires exploded was caught on camera, a victim of the Bunyip State Park fire, which started from multiple lightning strikes, has burnt more than 6000 hectares and is racing towards the Princes Highway. It is dangerously close to two electricity transmission lines linking the Latrobe Valley and Melbourne. Country Fire Authority assistant chief officer Trevor Owen worked on fires in the same park in 2003, 2006 and 2009’s Black Saturday fire, which also started by lightning. “Under those very strong conditions experienced on that day (in 2009), it travelled neatly. Whilst it damaged some property it was a very narrow finger compared to what we’re facing with this fire, because this fire has been growing,” Mr Owen told a community meeting in Pakenham on Sunday. “What we’ve been doing is throwing everything we’ve got at the fire.” There are 850 firefighters, with 110 fire trucks, bulldozers and aircraft, fighting the blaze. Despite the resources, the fire is so large, terrain so difficult and wind so gusty that crews are focusing their efforts on stamping out spot fires to reduce the spread and protect assets. Three properties have already been destroyed and more loss is anticipated, with a wind change moving the fire front and possible lightning expected. “We are confirming there are three structure losses, it does appear that they could be homes,” Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp told reporters. “This is an active fire, it is moving, and there is every likelihood there will be further property losses.” Labertouche is expected to be impacted by the fire on Sunday afternoon and about 30 homes were doorknocked and told to evacuate. Others in areas including Bunyip, Cornucopia, Garfield, Gentle Annie, Longwarry, Maryknoll, Nar Nar Goon, Tonimbuk and Tynong have been told it is too late to leave and to take shelter immediately. Three relief centres have been set up for residents forced out by the fires. Two homes were also lost in the Budgeree-Wilsons Promontory fires, incident controller for those blazes, Peter West, told the ABC. “Unfortunately we’ve had confirmed two house losses with the fire and some unconfirmed reports about other assets,” Mr West said of the Budgeree fire. Campers and day trippers had to be evacuated from Wilsons Promontory. An emergency warning has since been issued for Dargo in Gippsland on Sunday afternoon, with a watch and act remaining in place for Licola. The bushfire near Dargo is out-of-control and travelling towards the Howittville and Shepherson areas, and is expected to impact them in the next two hours. It is too late for residents in these areas to leave and the safest option is to take shelter. The Licola fire was also started by lightning but the fire is currently travelling away from the township, Mr Crisp said. A wind change is making its way across the state and will present new challenges for fire crews. “It is a dangerous time, putting it bluntly. Not just for communities, but for firefighters, and we’re very conscious of the safety of our firefighters and we will message in relation to that,” Mr Crisp said. At a press conference alongside Mr Crisp, Premier Daniel Andrews told people to follow warnings from authorities.