Three people, including a child, missing in Victorian bushfires

Friday, 9 January 2026 10:38

A total fire ban is in place for all of Victoria today, as the state braces for catastrophic fire conditions.

Two adults and a child are missing in Victoria as the state faces catastrophic fire conditions.

Two out-of-control blazes continue to burn near Longwood and Walwa, while overall, there are 40 fires burning this morning, including 30 active fires.

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill said Country Fire Authority (CFA) staff spoke with three people in the Longwood East area yesterday morning and returned to find the property destroyed by fire yesterday afternoon.

LIVE UPDATES: Local institution cancelled as destruction laid bare

Emergency services are currently unable to investigate the home as the area is still a danger zone.

"We have engaged the strike teams, and the impact assessment teams that we hope to have deployed to that location today, to make some preliminary assessments," he said.

"As I say, the dangers are still presenting in that area, but our fire services are prioritising their efforts to go back to that location to identify if we can eventually and hopefully identify and find those three people safe and well."

Victoria's Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch has confirmed "community and residential" property losses in the Longwood fire.

Many of these losses have been in and around the Ruffy area.

Approximately 1200 to 1600 hectares of a pine plantation have been destroyed by the Walwa fire, though no property there has burned down.

Wiebusch said the number of properties destroyed could not yet be confirmed, but that the Ruffy community centre and telephone exchange had been destroyed, along with multiple homes.

Wiebusch said firefighters would face "challenging and difficult" conditions across the state today.

"Victoria is in the midst of a severe to extreme intensity heatwave, which is now being matched with damaging winds and storms today, that will result in our state seeing catastrophic and extreme fire danger," Wiebusch said.

Property losses in Ruffy in the Longwood bushfire.

"That means that any fires that are in our landscape already or those that start will be uncontrollable, undepredictable and will be very fast-moving."

A total fire ban is in place for all of Victoria today, which means no fires can be lit or are allowed to remain alight in the open air.

Wiebusch said the areas under catastrophic fire danger rating include the Wimmera, the south-west, north country and north central districts, while the remainder of the state was under an extreme fire danger rating.

"With the winds that we'll see today, there will be periods where our aviation fleet that is over 70 aircraft today will not be able to fly," he said.

"So we are reminding communities to heed the warnings to leave now.

"If you're in a bushfire-prone area, a bushland area of Victoria, our strongest advice is leave now if you haven't left already.

"If you don't leave now, it could result in your life being lost."

Residents should visit the VicEmergency website for the latest updates and advice on fires in their area.

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