Horror fire weather could kill: Brumby

Saturday's horror fire weather has the potential to kill and Victorians should be on
alert for arsonists, Premier John Brumby warns.

Searing temperatures and strong winds are expected to present the state some of the
worst bushfire conditions in its history, like those seen in 1983 when 75 people
died in the Ash Wednesday fires.
"... it's the sort of day when a fire that gets away won't just damage property, it
may well cost lives, lives as well as Black Friday and Ash Wednesday have done
before," Mr Brumby said.
"So I don't exaggerate when I say we need to be on alert."
Temperatures are expected to top 44 degrees in Melbourne on Saturday and as high as
46 in Mildura with a total fire ban in place across the state.
Gale force north-westerly winds up to 100km/h are also forecast.
Mr Brumby said it was a recipe for disaster.
"It's just going to be, probably by a long way, the worst day ever in the history of
the state in terms of temperatures and winds," he said.
"It's just as bad a day as you can imagine and on top of that the state is just
tinder dry so people need to exercise real common sense tomorrow.
"If you don't need to go out don't go out. It's a seriously bad day."
Emergency services have also urged Victorians to avoid travelling if they can,
especially to fire prone areas.
Those areas included coastal strips such as the Mornington Peninsula, Great Ocean
Road and the Otways; mountain areas, such as the High Country, Dandenongs and the
Yarra Ranges; and other forested areas, such as Macedon Ranges.
"If you move around you will be uncomfortable and there is always a chance of
igniting a fire or being in an area where a fire ignites," Country Fire Authority
deputy chief officer Greg Esnouf said.
"Fires start every day and they will start tomorrow so we will need resources that
are good enough in the right places."
All bushfires burning around Victoria were contained on Friday afternoon but it
would take a "lot of effort" to stop a 123-hectare blaze in the Bunyip State Park,
southeast of Melbourne, from breaking control lines and threatening nearby towns on
Saturday, Mr Esnouf said.
The towns most threatened are Labertouche and Tonimbuk, with Jindivick, Bunyip,
Drouin West and Longwarry also at risk.
The Delburn complex fire that burnt 6,400 hectares and destroyed 30 houses last week
was contained "at the moment" but a lot of crews were present to stop it burning out
of control again, he said.
"A lot of lightning strikes have started fires in remote forest country that DSE
(Department of Sustainability and Environment) are working on," he said.
They include fires in the alpine areas of Nariel Valley and near Dargo.