Residents of three small towns north of Melbourne in the Australian state of Victoria were ordered on Tuesday afternoon to take shelter immediately as an out-of-control bushfire threatened homes and lives.

Emergency warnings issued shortly after 1:00 p.m. local time said the blaze near the town of Trawool, about 80 kilometres north of Melbourne, was posing a serious danger.

A separate alert issued shortly before 2:00 p.m. warned that it was too late to leave Trawool and the neighbouring towns of Kerrisdale and Tallarook.

Authorities instructed residents and visitors to take shelter indoors immediately.

The warning indicated, “You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. You must take shelter before the fire arrives. The extreme heat is likely to kill you well before the flames reach you.”

Trawool, Kerrisdale and Tallarook had a combined population of around 900 people at the time of Australia’s 2021 national census.

Authorities warned a day earlier that much of Victoria would face extreme fire danger on Tuesday, with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius, compounded by strong winds and dry conditions. 

(Xinhua/NAN)