8h agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 12:08amStay updated with the latest warnings from emergency services
In an emergency, the ABC will broadcast regular warnings on ABC Radio.
You can find your local frequency here.
For more information, including a map of all the warnings, visit ABC Emergency.
State authorities also have their own alerts and incidents pages.
- For warnings in Victoria, visit VicEmergency.
- For NSW, visit the Rural Fire Service.
- For South Australia, visit the SA Country Fire Service.
Just nowMon 12 Jan 2026 at 8:10am
Harcourt couple robbed of their first official night home
Ben Lawrence and his partner Danika were supposed to spend their first official night in the new home on Friday. But it was destroyed by an out-of-control grassfire before they ever got the chance.
The ABC’s Anna McGuinness has this story:
11m agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 7:58am
Engadine Rural Fire Brigade crew are safely home
The Engadine Rural Fire Brigade service, have posted on Facebook that their crew have returned home safely.
The crew from NSW helped save the save the village of Yarck from the Longwood Fire.
(Facebook: NSW RFS)
(Facebook: NSW RFS)
“They managed to defend & save some houses, but could not save all as the situation was overwhelming for the small number of fire trucks in the town” the brigade said in the post.
“They were unable to leave that evening as all roads out of town were blocked from large fallen trees. Locals took them in and kindly gave them a bed for the night.”
The crew were able to leave the next day and travelled to the Puckapunyal Army barracks for two nights, while assisting with other fires.
“Welcome home team, we are proud of you and very glad to have you back safely.”
(Facebook: NSW RFS)
(Facebook: NSW RFS)25m agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 7:45amHarcourt residents to return home briefly tonight
Emergency services are hoping residents from the town of Harcourt in central Victoria will be able to return to their homes permanently from tomorrow.
Harcourt has been among the hardest hit communities, with 47 homes and three businesses destroyed by the fire burning at Ravenswood South.
Dozens of homes have been destroyed in Harcourt. (ABC News: Guido Salazar)
Locals with proof of their identity and residency are allowed to return in a window from 5pm to 10pm today, but must leave.
Bendigo incident controller Michael Masters warned residents about the emotional toll to be expected from returning to a bushfire impacted home.
“The return to properties after an emergency is always a traumatic event,” he said.
“You need to be prepared for that if that’s what you choose to do.”
The spread of the fire near Ravenswood South has slowed. (ABC News: Guido Salazar)
40m agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 7:30am
Finding the ABC’s bushfire coverage
Does ABC NEWS have a list of articles (dedicated page for finding them) we can read about the Melbourne Bushfires? been struggling to find some accurate articles to read about the ongoing situations.
– Cody Bjorksten
Hi Cody,
The best bet would be to search the ABC News website by topic.
Here’s a link to all the bushfire stories that my colleagues have written in the past few days.
53m agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 7:16amThreat reduced in Victoria’s north-west
The spread of a bushfire burning in Victoria’s north-west has been slowed.
Residents in the communities of Baring, Big Desert, Boinka, Linga, Patchewollock, Torrita, Underbool and Walpeup are being told it is safe to return to the area.
But authorities warn residents must monitor conditions, and be aware of potential hazards such as trees and powerlines.
The fire, which began burning last Thursday south of Boinka, has burned through more than 55,000 hectares of land.
(VicEmergency)
59m agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 7:10am
Update on the Otways fires
Just wondering how close to Colac, the Chapple Vale fire has travelled. Also how many hectares have been burnt so far?
– Merv Wilson
Hi Merv,
The latest information we have to hand is that the fire at Carlisle River is headed away from Colac, and is currently burning in a north-westerly direction towards Bungador.
Firefighters have been able to slow the spread for now, but communities in Swan Marsh and Bungador have been asked to stay informed, as the situation may change rapidly.
(VicEmergency)
The two fires in the Otways are still burning out of control, with the Carlisle River fire burning through more than 3,300 hectares, and the Kennedys Creek fire burning through more than 3,400 hectares.
1h agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 6:55am
How to help an injured animal if you see wildlife in distress
Native animals can be affected by bushfires for months. (ABC: Danielle Bonica)
Native animals are significantly impacted by bushfires but timely intervention can help.
Wildlife Victoria says kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, possums, wombats, birds and reptiles can all suffer burns to their feet and tails, as well as smoke inhalation, dehydration and infection.
Cockatoos in the aftermath of the fires at Harcourt. (ABC: Danielle Bonica)
If you come across injured animals, you can report it to Wildlife Victoria online at any time or by calling their emergency response line on (03) 8400 7300.
Wildlife Victoria says:
- If the animal is small enough to contain, such as birds and possums, place them in a quiet, dark carrier.
- Do not try to feed or give them water and do not attempt to treat the injuries yourself.
- Only attempt to contain animals if it is safe to do so. Maintaining your own safety is just as important as the animals’ welfare.
- For larger animals such as kangaroos and wombats, take videos or photos of the animals’ conditions and, if it is safe to do so, take note of the location.
1h agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 6:40am
Father-of-three shares pain of losing family home
Farmer and winemaker Matt Fowles rushed back from his summer holiday to try and save his property from the Longwood fire in central Victoria, but he wasn’t successful.
Speaking with ABC’s Joe O’Brien, he says he can’t explain how “logjammed his head is” as he tries to understand what has happened and what will come next for him and his family.
“Took me six hours to get home, flames were already licking both sides of the road — I just charged through, which was pretty frightening,” he says.
“I made my way around to the house and it was all on within 10 minutes — the whole yard was alight. The radiant heat was extreme.
“I’ve done a lot of time with the CFA but the pace of the fire was extraordinary, frightening. I’ve seen a lot of fires and I’ve never witnessed something like that.”
Matt Fowles spoke with ABC News Channel. (ABC News)
The father of three girls lost his home and 1,000 sheep, but the winery was saved.
“We’ve lived and breathed this property for 20 years — it was my life’s work,” he says.
Mr Fowles says his next priority is finding somewhere for his family to live. So far, he has been offered 10 different houses.
He says he’s overwhelmed by the kindness of others.
“I’ve gotten probably a thousand text messages from the local community and the wine industry, and people are saying we’ll drop tools, we’ll get down there, we’ll come help, as far as Western Australia. It’s just extraordinary.”
1h agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 6:30amLongwood bushfire victim identified as Max Hobson
Max Hobson has been identified as the person whose body was found metres from a car following the Longwood bushfire.
Mr Hobson, with his wife Julie, operated Aintree Farm Herefords at Terip Terip, near Euroa.
For more, head to our story below:
1h agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 6:30amSCC working to address farmer frustration with roadblocks
State Control Centre spokesperson Josh Gamble says a permit system has been put in place to allow essential services to go through roadblocks.
The permit system was introduced at 10am today, after frustrated farmers raised concerns about roadblocks hindering efforts to deliver food to starved animals.
The SCC said it was “well aware” of the issue, and it had come to their attention following media reports and through the Incident Control Centre.
“We’ve been able to ascertain what’s exactly occurred [and] we acknowledge the challenge that’s occurred, and we’ve been able to put a response in place,” he said.
“Particularly around the escorting of the trucks to get to the farmers to bring feed in and now we’ve got set intervals at 8:30 in the morning, 12:30 in the afternoon and 3:30 in the afternoon to allow for an hour trip in and out, escorted by CFA and Forest Fire Management assets to assist them in these dangerous fire areas.”
Mr Gamble said the roadblocks were put in place to prevent anyone who did not actually live in the area to potentially gain access to properties.
“We acknowledge that in this instance, after a further assessment, that we needed to relax that criteria and as such … [we’ve] been able to relax it and put a permit program in to allow that essential services such as repair, and goods such as fodder, to go through to these farmers, which is great news,” he said.
1h agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 6:18amWhere to get assistance if you’re affected by bushfires
More help has been promised to Victorians affected by the devastating bushfires, including a $52,000 grant for eligible uninsured households.
To find out how to access help, you can read this guide put together by the ABC’s Larissa Ham:
2h agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 6:05amExtremely poor air quality forecast across Victoria
Smoke from the bushfires is expected to impact large swathes of Victoria in the next 24 hours, with several regions expected to have the lowest air quality rating of “Extremely Poor”.
The Environmental Protection Authority Victoria has the following warnings for these districts:
- Mallee: Poor to Extremely Poor air quality expected, especially Ouyen, Red Cliffs, Hattah, Mildura. Very Poor overnight due to smoke recirculation.
- Wimmera: Poor to Very Poor air quality near Horsham, including Dimboola and Pimpinio.
- Northern Country: Poor to Extremely Poor for Bendigo and Echuca.
- North East: Poor to Extremely Poor for Bright, Myrtleford, Beechworth, Rutherglen, Wodonga.
Bright currently Very Poor, Wangaratta Extremely Poor. - East Gippsland: Fair to Poor north of fires.
- West and South Gippsland: Poor to Very Poor during the day; conditions may worsen.
- Central: Good to Fair for now; smoke not moving towards Melbourne/Geelong.
- North Central: Poor to Extremely Poor expected.
- South West: Fair to Poor north of the Otway fires (Cobden, Camperdown, Colac)
The EPA recommends staying indoors where possible, and monitoring its official air quality tracker.
2h agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 5:58amStill not safe to return to area west of Skipton
Authorities are warning residents from the area around Skipton that it is still not safe to return, despite the fire now being contained.
A Watch and Act message is in force, but residents in Carranballac, Stoneleigh and the rural areas near Skipton are being told there are still significant risks.
The fire near Skipton is now contained. (VicEmergency)
Hazardous trees and fallen powerlines are still being assessed, with teams from electricity distributor Powercor on site and repairing critical infrastructure.
Community meetings will be held tomorrow at the below locations:
- 12pm at Beaufort Community Bank Complex, 39 Park Rd, Beaufort
- 2pm at Streatham Memorial Hall, 30 Campbell Street, Streatham
- 4pm at Skipton Mechanics Hall, 5 Anderson Street, Skipton.
A recovery hub will also be open at the Skipton Mechanics Hall from 10am to 4pm, with Powercor representatives available to charge mobile devices and discuss the power supply.
2h agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 5:50am
📹: Helicopter captures large swaths of scorched earth near Longwood
Scorched earth and razed buildings can be seen from a helicopter flying over the fire zone in Central Victoria.Loading…
2h agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 5:45am
Fire-hit farmer calls for help with fodder movement
A cattle farmer from the fire-hit town of Alexandra in north-east Victoria says roadblocks are hindering efforts to deliver fodder to starved animals.
Andrew Perry said some of his cattle went days without access to feed, which was delivered late on Sunday after a six-hour delay and some “high-level” phone calls to government officials.
The cattle hadn’t eaten since Thursday.
(Supplied)
Mr Perry said the fodder delivered wouldn’t last, and that hungry cattle were more likely to push through damaged fencing and onto roads looking for food.
“They’re always hungry. They’ve only got a 4-inch-wide mouth, but they’ve got a six-foot-wide belly,” he said.
Mr Perry said the delivered hay would need to be rationed and that feed-truck access around fire-hit regions was proving difficult.
“We need to do better than this. It’s not as if this is a new problem,” he said.
(Supplied)
Alexandra stock agent Andrew Embling told ABC Goulburn Murray Breakfast it was a frustrating situation impacting many.
“We sat there for two-and-a-half hours trying to get this hay through. We had different community members ringing pretty high up people in our state government,” he said.
The State Control Centre has been contacted to comment.
2h agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 5:40am
Skipton residents assess the damage
At least half a dozen homes in Skipton in western Victoria have been destroyed.
The Glenelg Highway through the town is littered with burnt-out cars, blackened trees, and in places the ground is still smouldering.
Luke and Christina Fay (ABC News: Eden Hynninen)
Just up the road, the Caranballac Cricket Club has also been destroyed by the fires that burned through the area on Friday.
Luke and Christina Fay were able to save their property, but lost around 600 sheep to the fire.
And just down the road, their daughter’s home was destroyed.
(ABC News: Eden Hynninen)
2h agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 5:30am
Notes from the Mt Alexander Shire meeting
Mt Alexander Shire has provided an online briefing via livestream for residents affected by the Ravenswood – Fogartys Gap Road fire.
- Authorities say 46 houses have been lost, and a further six seriously damaged.
- There has also been a significant impact to power and water infrastructure in Harcourt.
- The goal is to have residents return by 6pm tonight to assess their properties.
- The train line should be repaired by COB Wednesday.
- A “Do Not Drink” advisory is still in effect for Harcourt, with supply due to be repaired by tomorrow.
Bendigo incident controller Michael Masters said more smoke was to be expected in the area, as firefighters increased their operations to establish a containment line.
“Expect to see, either later today or tomorrow, an increase in smoke coming off the fire itself,” he said.
“Don’t be concerned about that, that’s part of our operations.”
Firefighters will attempt to remove unburnt fuel and prevent issues with forecast hot weather later this month.
2h agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 5:15am
Sikh volunteers say they’re inspired to help bushfire communities
About 50 Sikh volunteers have been providing food and supplies to evacuees and firefighters in bushfire-ravaged areas.
Jaswinder Singh says the group will spend most of the week meeting with residents at relief centres in Seymour, Yea, Wodonga, and Mansfield.
“The encouragement and trust we receive from the community is what inspires us to continue serving,” he says.
He shared these images from the Seymour relief centre, where his team have been helping those affected by the Longwood fire.
(Supplied: Sikh Volunteers Australia)
(Supplied: Sikh Volunteers Australia)
(Supplied: Sikh Volunteers Australia)
3h agoMon 12 Jan 2026 at 5:05am
Rural farmers urged to register for support
Rural Aid is urging Victorian farmers to register for support as bushfires threaten their livelihoods.
The charity offers a range of services from hay and water deliveries to counselling.
Rural Aid CEO John Waters. (ABC News)
“Rural Aid assists financially, we can get support through the people, our counsellors are ready and able to jump on the phone to take those calls,” Rural Aid CEO John Waters told ABC News channel.
“We realise people are stressed and anxious and worried about what is in front of them, what they have as they get back to their places and really contemplate how to pick up the pieces.
“And a bit further down the track, [we] help with water infrastructure, tanks, and just emergency household drinking [water].
“The home is the farm, and when that’s lost, that’s so much of a person or a family’s identity.“
You can register and apply for assistance here.