More than 100 buildings destroyed and 300,000ha of bushland burned as Victoria’s bushfires rage

At least 119 structures are believed to be lost in bushfires across Victoria and more than 300,000 hectares of bushland has been burned as the state continues to battle blazes that may rage for “weeks”.

Emergency management commissioner, Tim Wiebusch, told the media on Saturday that around 50 homes had been lost in the Ravenswood and Harcout fire, which was believed to be a “conservative number”. The Bendigo railway line had also been damaged by fire and was closed.

He said around 30 structures had been lost in the Longwood fire, in addition to significant livestock, cropping land and vineyard losses, while 20 structures had been lost in the Natimuk grass fire, 10 in Yarrowee and five in the Streatham fire. There had only been around four losses in the Walwa fire however 10,000 hectares of pine plantations had been burned.

“Conditions we experienced yesterday with fire are unlike what we’ve seen in 2009 and 2019,” Wiebusch said. “Yesterday we saw more than 200 grass and scrub fires affect every corner of our state … 10 of those fires [are] remaining as major fires.

“Importantly, many of these major fires will continue to burn for days, if not weeks.”

It came as three people who had been missing in the Longwood bushfire since Thursday were found safe. Victoria’s police commissioner, Mike Bush, said the three adults – previously thought to be a man, woman and child – were “safe and well” in Benalla, adding there had been “some confusion” about their identities.

A state of disaster was declared in 18 fire-affected local government areas as well as the Lake Mountain Alpine Resort early on Saturday morning in response to danger to life or property in the affected areas, while a total fire ban was in force across the entire state of Victoria for Saturday.

There were 19 emergency warnings in place and dozens of fires burning in almost every part of the state.

The disaster declaration “sends a clear message to those who have been advised to leave: if you can, you must”, the premier said in a statement.

A state of disaster gives authorities “additional powers to confront an emergency of extraordinary scale and danger”, she said.

Although a cool change began to sweep eastwards on Friday night, Allan warned that the state faced a “dangerous and difficult” day ahead on Saturday as the wind impacted the dozens of out-of-control fires across the state.

Heatwave conditions had eased in Victoria on Saturday morning, with most of the state expecting temperatures in the 20s after parts of the state saw temperatures exceed 45C on Friday.

No districts were rated as “catastrophic” or “extreme” fire danger on Saturday after being downgraded amid the cool change, however concern remained over damaging wind gusts, particularly in the alpine region north-east of Melbourne, and persistent heat in the north-west.

The three major fires on Saturday morning continued to be the Longwood fire, which was heading east towards Alexandra, an out-of-control grassfire at Ravenswood, north of Castlemaine, which had crossed the Calder Highway on Saturday morning, and an ongoing bushfire west of Walwa, which was moving in a south-easterly direction.

Allan said a man in his 60s had been found dead in a car near Harcourt on Friday evening, however his death was “not directly related to the fires”.

“This is a community that is grieving and my thoughts are with his family and the broader community,” she said.

She said well over 300,000 hectares of land had been burnt out and 38,000 homes and businesses remained without power.

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The Country Fire Authority chief, Jason Heffernan, told Sunrise on Saturday that it had been a “very challenging evening” and would be a “very challenging day”, with 24,000 lightning strikes hitting Victoria in the past 24 hours and 4,500 making landfall, sparking additional fires in the Otways and other areas.

Heffernan said westerly winds forecast from 9am on Saturday would also be of concern in south-west parts of the state, while at the same time the Walwa fire was still experiencing warm temperatures in the high 20s.

The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, said more than 90 of the state’s firefighters had been deployed to Victoria, while an additional request had been made for more strike teams, aircraft and ancillary support in the past 24 hours.

These aircraft have already been pre-positioned at the border in case the fires burning in Victoria crossed the Murray.

Additional personnel had been brought in from Country Fire Service South Australia, with additional resources requested from a national and international level to support firefighters over the next month, Wiebusch said.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, praised rural and country fire services, volunteers, police and emergency coordinators for their efforts to prepare for this fire season after a tour of the National Situation Room in Canberra on Saturday morning.

“Australians across the country are facing extreme and dangerous weather conditions,” he said.

“I want to specifically send my thoughts to those Victorians who have had the devastating news that they’ve lost their homes over the last 24 hours.”

Allan confirmed on Saturday that the state and commonwealth had activated personal hardship payments to all fire affected communities, to be made available for emergency assistance, clothes, food and medication.

The payments would be made available through relief centres and the Vic Emergency hotline.