Australian authorities directed residents of dozens of rural areas to evacuate “immediately” on Thursday as a wildfire swept through a national park in the southeast of the country, according to media reports.
Around 600 firefighters are working to contain the blaze in Grampians National Park, located 240 kilometers from Melbourne.
Fueled by hot and humid weather conditions for over a week, the fire has burned through 55,000 hectares—approximately one-third of the national park. No injuries or damage to homes have been reported so far.
“We have reached a critical point with the shift in wind direction in the western part of the state,” Luke Hegarty, a spokesperson for the rescue services, told the press. Hegarty added that weather forecasts predict strong winds, which will pose a significant challenge in the coming hours.