Residents of Meredith and Bamgarnie have been told to take shelter immediately as a bushfire rages towards Lethbridge in a southwesterly direction.
It is too late to safely evacuate and people are urged to take shelter indoors as of 8.19pm.
With 69 vehicles responding to the fire, VicEmergency has issued a take shelter warning for people in Bamganie and nearby, stating they are in danger and need to act immediately to survive.
A relief centre is open at Bannockburn Cultural Centre, 27 High Street.
People in Elaine and Lethbridge are advised to watch and act, stay close to a building where they can take shelter and plan to leave quickly with all pets, medications, phones and chargers. Those in Bannockburn and Mount Mercer have been warned to stay informed.
Meanwhile poor air quality due to the surrounding fires will impact Geelong and the Bellarine. There is no immediate threat and action is not required.
A grass fire broke out at Avalon Road at about 2.30pm today and was attended by 15 vehicles.
VicEmergency initially released an emergency warning for people in Avalon, Corio and Lara to shelter indoors while emergency services dealt with the blaze.
However, at 3.46pm an update was released saying the threat had been reduced and people were free to resume normal activities.
A house fire at Rebecca Drive, Leopold also ignited this afternoon, with 10 emergency services vehicles responding to the incident.
By 3.50pm VicEmergency released an update advising the fire was under control.
There was also a grassfire at Shelford-Mt Mercer Rd, Mount Mercer, but was declared as ‘no immediate danger’ by Vic Emergency at 10.15pm.
Today is a day of total fire ban across the state, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees in many parts of the state and strong gusty winds of 30 to 50km/h.
Visit emergency.vic.gov.au/respond or free call the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226 to stay up to date with fires across the region.
Other sources to stay informed are VicEmergency app, Facebook or Twitter (#vicfires) or tune in to ABC Local Radio, commercial and designated community radio stations, or Sky News TV.
This article will be updated as the situation changes.
