Three people are missing after out-of-control bushfires raged in the Australian state of Victoria, destroying homes and burning vast areas of forest, authorities said, Reuters reported, quoted by dariknews.bg.
Victoria's Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wibusch told a news conference that firefighters were battling 30 active fires, with the state's fire danger level currently at "catastrophic", the highest level.
Authorities said that destructive winds and temperatures of up to 46 degrees Celsius predicted for northern Victoria meant that all fires would be "uncontrollable".
"Today is one of the most dangerous days for fires this state has experienced in years," said Victoria Premier Jacinta Allen.
The fire near the town of Longwood has destroyed more than 35,000 hectares of forest land, while the fire near Wolva has burned about 20,000 hectares.
Both fires started on Wednesday as an intense heatwave in the south of the country produced the best conditions for fires since 2019, when bushfires devastated large areas of southeastern Australia, killing 33 people, in what became known as the "Black Summer," Reuters noted.
The largest fire near Longwood destroyed community and residential properties, including multiple homes, a community center and a telephone exchange, Wibusch said.
"At this stage we can't confirm those numbers, it's still too dangerous to go in and get to the location," he said.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill said two adults and a child were missing in Longwood after firefighters advised them to shelter in their homes on Thursday.
"They warned these people that the risks were high, the risks were so high that they had to shelter in place, it was too late to leave," he said.
"Later that afternoon the same fire department members returned to the area to see the house that they had seen these three people in front of, which was completely destroyed," he said.
Dozens of communities near the fires are evacuated and many state parks and campgrounds are closed.