More than 1,000 families told to evacuate as bushfires rage and temperatures near 50C in Australia

Fire in forested region southwest of Melbourne breaches containment lines and threatens half a dozen towns

More than 1,000 families in Victoria are being urged to evacuate as bushfires burn across the state and a severe heatwave pushes temperatures in parts of southeast Australia towards 50C.

Emergency services said a fast-moving fire in the Otways, a heavily forested region nearly 200km southwest of Melbourne, had breached containment lines and could spread further amid record heat and gusty winds.

The fire, which has already burned some 10,000 hectares, is threatening towns like Gellibrand, Kawarren, Beech Forest, Forrest, Barongarook, and even coastal Lorne.

Several major fires are burning across Victoria, including near Walwa in the northeast and in the Alpine National Park, where a blaze is moving towards Dargo.

Police and state emergency services crews began door-knocking across the Greater Otways area on Monday, strongly recommending the residents leave before sunset.

Emergency services said around 1,100 homes were visited and text alerts were sent to 10,000 phones urging people to evacuate immediately.

Reegan Key, a spokesperson for Victoria’s State Control Centre, said more than 300 firefighters and six aircraft were battling the Otways blaze but warned that forecast conditions on Tuesday would make containment extremely difficult.

“We have got very strong winds and very warm temperatures coming again tomorrow, and we have extreme fire danger in that area of the south-west,” she said. “We’re really concerned about the potential of that fire to take a big run and impact communities.”

An Australian flag flies as the Country Fire Authority crews douse a home in Longwood in Victoria on 9 January 2026 (AAP)

A statewide fire ban has been declared in Victoria, and all visitor sites in the Great Otway National Park and surrounding state forests have been closed until further notice.

The warnings come as a major heatwave intensifies across southeast Australia, with meteorologists forecasting temperatures well above historical averages for several consecutive days.

The Bureau of Meteorology said Melbourne could reach 45C on Tuesday – its hottest day in nearly 17 years – while inland parts of Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales were expected to see temperatures in the high 40s.

In Victoria’s northwest, Ouyen, a town about 440km from Melbourne, was forecast to reach 49C, potentially surpassing the state’s previous temperature record of 48.8C set during the Black Saturday fires in February 2009. On Tuesday afternoon, the mercury in Ouyen had passed 48C, with forecasters warning the record remained under threat before a late cool change.

The bureau said the heatwave was notable not just for its intensity but its duration. Parts of inland southeast Australia are on track for seven to eight consecutive days above 40C, the longest stretch since the 1930s in some areas.

A bushfire burns near Harcourt, Australia, on 12 January 2026 (Getty)

Meteorologists said the extreme heat was being driven by a stationary high-pressure system sitting several kilometres above the surface, forcing air downward and compressing it, creating what they described as a “heat dome”.

The slow movement of the system had allowed heat to build day after day, they added.

Country Fire Authority chief officer Jason Heffernan warned that a wind change forecast for late Tuesday afternoon could dramatically worsen fire behaviour.

“It’s the change that’s going to come through about 5pm with some really punchy winds that is likely to do most of the damage and drive that fire further,” Mr Heffernan told ABC News.

Fire conditions are forecast to be extreme across large parts of Victoria, including the Central, Mallee, North Central, South West and Wimmera districts, with the fire danger rating in some areas approaching catastrophic levels.

Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch said Victoria had not experienced heat of this intensity for almost two decades.

“We haven’t seen heatwave conditions like this in Victoria for almost 20 years,” he said, urging residents to enact their bushfire plans and leave early if advised.

Residents in parts of the Nariel Valley near the Murray river were ordered to leave as firefighters battled a fire.

The ongoing heatwave has disrupted major events and daily life. Organisers of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne adjusted match schedules ahead of the quarterfinals, advancing start times, closing roofs on main courts and triggering the tournament’s extreme heat protocol.

Wheelchair matches were postponed to Wednesday, while additional measures were introduced to protect players, staff and ball kids.

Over the weekend, play was suspended and roofs closed during Jannik Sinner’s match as temperatures exceeded 40C, with the world No 1 later saying he had been “lucky” to recover after struggling with cramps.

Fans walk through water misters at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia (AP)

Several relief centres have been opened for evacuees, including in Colac, about two hours southwest of Melbourne.

Authorities warned that smoke, falling embers and rapidly changing conditions could pose risks even outside fire zones.

Australia recorded its fourth-warmest year on record in 2025, with average temperatures 1.23C above the long-term norm, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

Scientists have warned that rising global temperatures are increasing the frequency and severity of heatwaves and bushfires across the country, placing growing pressure on emergency services and communities.