00:00Strong, hot winds fanning a rapidly growing and ferocious fire.
00:09Today was always going to be tough.
00:11Extreme fire dangers today is what was predicted and that's what we got.
00:15We saw those high, hot temperatures into the northwest of the state and those hot, northerly
00:20winds.
00:21The fire in the Grampians National Park is burning at such an alarming rate, authorities
00:25are now all but certain homes will be lost.
00:30Firefighters I can say are doing everything possible to protect life and protect property.
00:35This property west of Moyston is in the fire's path.
00:38Darryl Lord has chosen to stay.
00:40Have you sent the missus away though?
00:43Yeah, look, um, no, you'd better finish.
00:46Better if she's not here.
00:50Yeah.
00:52Firefighters braced all day for the change of wind direction, pushing the fire towards
00:58properties, first south, then east, before winds became erratic and unpredictable.
01:04The fire has broached containment lines from the Grampians National Park.
01:09It is moving very much east under that westerly frontal system.
01:13Jack Blake was on the receiving end of those gusty winds in Storl.
01:17With the wind it'd just come crashing down, so it gives you an idea of what the weather's
01:21been like lately.
01:22You must have still heard it.
01:23Yeah, come crashing down.
01:25Yeah.
01:26And what did it sound like?
01:27It sounded just like a tree falling.
01:30With the call change came a bit of reprieve, but the danger is far from over.
01:35Authorities have been pleased by the number of people heeding their warnings.
01:39You do what you're told to do, and that's it.
01:42Yeah, we're fine with that.
01:46The grandmother did get to spend Christmas with her family.
01:49For the many who couldn't, residents rallied, donating gifts and food.
01:54Having been through fires out on our farm and my ex-husband having to shoot sheep because
02:00they had burnt feet years ago, that was probably my driver.
02:05I think after the February fires, a lot of people have been prepared for this, and there's
02:12been a big build-up towards it as well, and I think the community has come together really
02:16well.
02:17Many locals here in Stawell are opening their homes to evacuees, offering their spare rooms
02:22or, in some cases, their Airbnbs, which would usually be full of tourists at this time of
02:27year.
02:28Nobody knows how long these guests will need to stay.
02:31We just go with the flow and hope for the best.
02:36In limbo, at the mercy of a fire that's set to burn for weeks.
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