Urgent asthma warning amid bushfire in Victoria’s west

Firefighters will be up against strong north and north-westerly winds in fire-ravaged areas of Victoria’s west through Wednesday afternoon, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned, with a south-westerly change in store for the early evening.

The BOM said early Wednesday there was a chance later of “damaging wind gusts” in the region.

Isolated showers are expected in the more southern areas of the affected areas.

CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said wind changes were always a concern for firefighters.

He said ahead of the change in the areas around the Bayindeen-Rocky Rd blaze, winds would be 30 to 40km/hr, and after it, up to 80km/hr.

The expected weather change is not set to arrive until after sundown, Mr Heffernan cautioned.

“Things will heat up very quickly during the day and around lunchtime we’ll hit that peak, but that late change today won’t come through until probably after dark,” he told 3AW on Wednesday.

“The safest advice under today’s conditions is to please leave and be gone by about lunchtime.”

The wind change puts a large area southwest of Beaufort, between Skipton and Hamilton, in the likely path of smoke.

Emergency services are still urging communities directly to the north, south, and west of the fire front to keep up to date with blaze’s evolution throughout Wednesday.

More than 100 firefighters from New South Wales headed south to bolster Victoria’s emergency response. A large air tanker and Black Hawk helicopter from New South Wales have also been made available.

Melbourne’s temperature is peaking around 35C on Wednesday afternoon. Top temperatures will be in the state’s northwest with Mildura set to reach 44C.

Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent said outer regions of Melbourne were also at risk of grass fire due to a recent lack of rainfall.

“You’ve got all of the area to the west of Melbourne and the north of Melbourne where you’ve got grass that has really dried out quite quickly over the last little while we haven’t had rain for a while. So that is at risk,” he told ABC Mornings.

“We can’t be just focused on that fire north or Beaufort and around Beaufort.”

An urgent warning was issued by Asthma Australia on Wednesday, who warned bushfire smoke can have “serious health implications” for any asthmatic, “even at low levels”.

“Bushfire smoke can be very toxic for people with asthma and can potentially become life threatening,” their statement said.

“The fine particle pollutants in smoke get deep into the lungs and inflame and narrow the airways, making it difficult to breathe. We urge people living in Victoria’s West to minimise their exposure to smoke.

“If it becomes an issue, stay tuned to symptoms and seek medical care in an emergency.”

The organisation encouraged people to stay if it is safe and close their windows and doors, use an air conditioner and air purifier if available or – if unable to find a smoke-free area – wear a fitted P2 / N95 mask.

Anyone experiencing symptoms – which include shortness of breath, a tight chest, coughing and wheezing – should be treated with the asthma first aid steps.

These steps are to sit the person upright, give them four separate puffs of a reliever puffer, wait four minutes and then give another four puffs if they do not get better.

Nearly 100 early childhood centres and schools have been shut or forced to relocate as a result of the fire danger.

SCHOOL AND EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTRE CLOSURES

NORTH EAST VICTORIA

Warrandyte Primary School, Warrandyte – closed. Temporarily relocating to Templestowe Heights Primary School, Templestowe

NORTH WEST VICTORIA

Rushworth P-12 College, Rushworth – closed. Learning from home.

Eaglehawk North Primary School, Eaglehawk – closed. Relocating to Eaglehawk Primary School, Eaglehawk

Hesket Primary School, Hesket – closed. Relocating to Romsey Primary School, Romsey

Macedon Primary School, Macedon – closed. Relocating to Sunbury Heights Primary School, Sunbury

Mount Macedon Primary School – closed. Relocating to Romsey Primary School, Romsey

Sunbury And Macedon Ranges Specialist School, Bullengarook Senior Campus – closed, learning from home.

Alice Miller School, Macedon – closed.

Braemar College, Mt Macedon Campus, Woodend – closed.

Chewton Primary School, Chewton – closed. Relocating to Castlemaine Primary School, Castlemaine.

Christmas Hills Primary School, Christmas Hills – closed. Kangaroo Ground Primary School, Kangaroo Ground.

St Andrews Primary School, St Andrews – closed. Relocating to Hurstbridge Primary School, Hurstbridge

Strathewen Primary School, Strathewen – closed. Relocating to Diamond Valley Secondary College, Diamond Creek

Talbot Primary School, Talbot – closed.

SOUTH WEST VICTORIA

Big Childcare – Apsley PS OSHC

Concongella Primary School Council OSHC

Cooinda Kindergarten

Edenhope Early Childhood Service

Goroke Preschool

Jeparit Kindergarten

Marrang Kindergarten & Early Learning Centre

Minyip Kindergarten

Murtoa College OSHC

Nhill Early Learning Centre

St Arnaud Early Learning Centre

Warracknabeal 3 year old program, Warracknabeal

Warracknabeal 3 year old program, Wheatlands District Church

Warracknabeal Memorial Kindergarten, Warracknabeal

Warracknabeal Neighbourhood House Take a Break Childcare Centre

Warracknabeal Uniting Early Learning, Warracknabeal

Beaufort Early Childhood Centre, Beaufort

Trawalla-Beaufort OSHC club, Trawalla

After The Bell Aus – St Arnaud Primary School, St Arnaud

Waubra Children’s Centre, Waubra

Waubra OSH Club, Waubra

Buangor Primary School Council, Buangor

Clunes and District Preschool, Clunes

Amphitheatre Primary School, Amphitheatre

Pomonal Primary School, Pomonal

Apsley Primary School, Apsley

Concongella Primary School, Concongella

Dimboola Memorial Secondary College, Dimboola

Edenhope College, Edenhope

Goroke P-12 College, Goroke

Great Western Primary School, Great Western

Halls Gap Primary School, Halls Gap

Horsham College – McKenzie Creek Campus, McKenzie Creek

Horsham Primary School – 298 Campus, Horsham

Horsham Primary School – Rassmussen Road Campus, Horsham

Horsham West and Haven Primary School – Haven Campus, Haven

Horsham West and Haven Primary School – Horsham West

Jeparit Primary School, Jeparit

Kaniva College, Kaniva

Marnoo Primary School, Marnoo

Minyip Primary School, Minyip

Murtoa College, Murtoa

Natimuk Primary School, Natimuk

Navarre Primary School, Navarre

Nhill College, Nhill

Rupanyup Primary School, Rupanyup

St Arnaud Primary School, St Arnaud

St Arnaud Secondary College, St Arnaud

Stawell Secondary College, Stawell

Stawell West Primary School, Stawell

Warracknabeal Primary School, Warracknabeal

Warracknabeal Secondary College, Warracknabeal

Warracknabeal Special Developmental School, Warracknabeal

Pomonal Primary school, Pomonal

Holy Trinity Lutheran College, Horsham

Nhill Lutheran School, Nhill

St Peter’s Lutheran School, Dimboola

Trawalla Primary School, Trawalla

Beaufort Secondary College, Beaufort

Beaufort Primary School, Beaufort

Waubra Primary School, Waubra

Amphitheatre Primary School, Amphitheatre

Buangor Primary School, Buangor

Clunes Primary School, Clunes

Mount Blowhard Primary School, Blowhard

Our Lady Help of Christians School, Murtoa

St Malachy’s School, Edenhope

St Mary’s School, Warracknabeal

St Patrick’s School, Nhill

St Patrick’s School, Stawell

St Patrick’s School, St Arnaud

Little Bendigo Primary School, Bendigo – closed. Relocating to Woodmans Hill Secondary College, Ballarat

Forrest Primary School, Forrest – closed. Relocating to Colac South West Primary School

Lavers Hill K-12 College, Lavers Hill – closed. Relocating to Lavers Hill K-12 College Learning School, Colac

Belmont High School, Tanybryn camp – closed.

Linton Primary School – closed. Relocating to Delacombe Primary School, Delacombe.

Northern Bay P-12 College, Staughton Vale Outdoor Education Centre – closed.

Bullarto Primary School, Bullarato – closed. Relocating to Daylesford College, Daylesford.

Yandoit Primary School, Yandoit – closed. Relocating to Daylesford Primary School, Daylesford.

Brauer Secondary College, Dunkeld Annexem campus – closed.

Aireys Inlet Primary School, Aireys Inlet – closed. Relocating to Torquay College (P-6), Torquay

Anglesea Primary School, Anglesea – closed. Relocating to Torquay College (P-6), Torquay

Frankston Special Developmental School, Blackwood Special Schools Outdoor Education Centre – closed

Alpine School, Gunard Gundidj campus, Corangamite