Bushfire destroys outer Melbourne home

(AAP) - At least one house has been destroyed and others are under threat as Victoria's bushfires threaten Melbourne's outer eastern suburbs.

The Country Fire Authority (CFA) said the house in Belgrave South had been burned,
with reports of others also being hit as the 70-hectare fire reaches other suburbs
in the Dandenong Ranges.
More than 100 firefighters are battling the blaze, which is threatening homes in
Upwey, Tecoma, Belgrave Heights, Belgrave South and Lysterfield, about 40km from
Melbourne's CBD.
The CFA has urged residents to decide early whether to stay and defend their homes
or flee.
Many nervous residents who spotted smoke in nearby areas such as Ferntree Gully have
evacuated.
The fire came within 30 metres of houses in Glenfern Road, Tecoma, before
firefighters pushed it back.
"It was here and it's just died," Glenfern Rd resident Joe Castro said.
"On the north side of Glenfern Rd are all the houses and on the south side is the
fire. At one point it reached within 30 metres of the road and they put it out.
"East of here I can see all the helicopters dropping water. It's as smoky as hell."
The Upwey fire started around 2.30pm (AEDT) on Monday and spread through the
Birdlands Reserve, pushed along by a northwesterly wind.
Three helicopters and more than 30 trucks are battling the blaze, as more
firefighting resources move in.
"It's very much the suburbs of Melbourne, it's a huge concern for us. The potential
for impact on residents is very serious," CFA deputy chief officer Geoff Conway
said.
"It's started to impact on houses in Upwey, Tecoma and Belgrave South.
"It's currently being affected by the wind that has swung around to the south and
southwest.
"There's still a lot of firefighting to go before we can make this fire safe."
On Monday evening, Mr Conway said the CFA had discouraged people from leaving their
houses once the fire was in sight and said it was dangerous to take to the roads.
Another significant fire was burning in Musk Vale, south of Daylesford in central
Victoria but was not directly threatening property (as of 6.30pm AEDT).
The 250-hectare blaze was out of control with more than 50 trucks and aircraft
fighting to contain it.
"It's a fairly sparsely populated area. It's west of any populated areas but we're
aware of the potential for spot fires and putting out urgent threats to
communities."
Further east, at Warburton, many residents have already evacuated the town but the
CFA said there were no urgent messages.
Another fire has taken hold near Yarram, in south Gippsland.
The 28-hectare fire is five kilometres east of Won Wron and seven kilometres
west-northwest of Woodside.
Residents of the Bruthen Creek valley, from Starlings Lane to Pogues Road, northeast
of Yarram, have been told to implement their bushfire plans.
A small fire is also burning in the Otway Ranges near Aireys Inlet, a scene of
tragedy during the Ash Wednesday bushfires in 1983.
It is burning northeast, has burnt out less than one hectare and is not threatening
property.
The death toll from the savage February 7 fires which ravaged the state rose to 210
on Monday following the death of a Strathewen resident in hospital over the weekend.
The alpine township of Strathewen has lost at least 43 of its 200 residents.