Victorians urged to evacuate Otways as massive fire threatens to spread east towards more than 1,000 homes

Residents in the Otways region of Victoria, Australia, are being urged to evacuate their homes before sunset due to a large fire threatening to spread. The fire, which has already burned approximately 9,400 hectares, poses a significant risk to over 1,000 homes. Authorities fear that a predicted heatwave and northerly winds on Tuesday will exacerbate the situation, potentially causing the fire to spread eastward towards Lorne. As of Monday afternoon, six fires were burning across the state, prompting concerns about the escalating fire danger. The evacuation order aims to protect residents from the imminent threat posed by the approaching fire.