Victorians urged to evacuate as massive fire burns through the Otways, Australia
A large out-of-control bushfire burning near Carlisle River and Gellibrand in Victoria’s Otways region has forced authorities to issue evacuation warnings for more than 1 100 properties. The fire, which started west of Gellibrand on January 10, has burned approximately 9 400 ha (23 200 acres) of forest and farmland by Monday afternoon (LT) January 26, 2026. Emergency Victoria urged residents and visitors in affected towns to leave before sunset due to forecast catastrophic fire conditions expected on January 27.
Wildfire smoke rising above Great Otway National Park, Victoria, Australia on January 26, 2026. Credit: NASA/NOAA Suomi NPP
The Carlisle River – Gellibrand fire in Victoria, Australia, remains uncontrolled as of January 26, driven by strong north-westerly winds and extreme heat. Authorities warned that the fire could spread rapidly east toward the coastal corridor, including Lorne, Aireys Inlet, and Anglesea, where more than 1 000 homes are located.
As a result, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and Emergency Management Victoria (EMV) have issued evacuation warnings for Carlisle River, Gellibrand, Kawarren, Beech Forest, Forrest, and Barongarook. Door-to-door notifications are underway as Victoria Police and local brigades check for residents who have not yet evacuated.
More than 300 firefighters, supported by aerial water-bombing aircraft and heavy equipment, are engaged on containment lines in steep forest terrain. CFA officials report erratic and extreme fire behavior in dense vegetation, complicating suppression efforts.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has issued extreme to catastrophic fire danger ratings for the South West and Central districts, with forecast temperatures reaching 49°C (120°F) in parts of Victoria on January 27. Strong and gusty northerly winds are expected to shift westerly as a trough passes, increasing the likelihood of long-range ember attack.
The Otways’ wet-eucalypt forests contain substantial fuel loads after consecutive wet seasons, and under low humidity and high wind they dry rapidly, supporting deep convection and fast-moving fire fronts.
Evacuation centers are operating at the Colac Showgrounds and Bluewater Leisure Centre (Colac). The Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) is assisting with transport for vulnerable residents and coordinating animal sheltering. Emergency Victoria continues to advise that residents who have not yet left should do so immediately, as conditions on Tuesday may become life-threatening.
A statewide Total Fire Ban is in effect across Victoria. Authorities have requested residents to avoid non-essential travel in forested and coastal areas of the Otways and to monitor live warnings through the Emergency Victoria website and VicEmergency app.
The Bureau of Meteorology expects elevated fire danger to persist until mid-week under a severe heatwave, with potential thunderstorms later providing only limited rainfall and introducing additional lightning ignition risks.
I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers.news.
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