NORTH-EAST: 2pm update – 3 missing, fire threatens Alex.
Three people – two adults and a child – are missing in the Longwood fires. The fire is moving south-east towards Lake Eildon.
At 2pm, fire was reported to be fast approaching the Alexandra area, where residents have been asked to not use mains water, as pressure is needed for fire fighting. Authorities advised that it is too late to leave Alexandra, Devils River, Fawcett, Lake Eildon and Maintongoon.
An Emergency Warning that it was too late to leave was issued for Caveat, Creightons Creek, Dropmore, Gobur, Gooram, Highlands, Kanumbra, Kelvin View, Locksley, Longwood, Longwood East, Ruffy, Strathbogie, Tarcombe, Terip Terip, Upton Hill.
An Emergency Warning to leave immediately had been issued earlier for Acheron, Devils River, Eildon, Taylor Bay, Thornton.
A Watch and Act message was issued for Dairy Creek, Ghin Ghin, Granite, Homewood, Kerrisdale, Trawool, Whiteheads Creek.
A ‘Stay Informed’ message was issued for Avenel, Locksley, Mangalore, Monea, Seymour, Tabilk, Tarcombe.
“There is currently no threat to you, but you should stay informed and plan for what you will do if the situation changes.”
At approx. 2.10pm Friday, the online signal for emergency radio broadcaster UGFM through its website was temporarily lost,