Catastrophic bushfires devastate Ruffy as Victoria faces its most dangerous fire day in years
Whole towns in Victoria’s north-east are reeling after out‑of‑control bushfires, fanned by a brutal heatwave and “catastrophic” fire danger, destroyed homes, a school and community facilities in the tiny township of Ruffy and surrounding districts. Authorities warn conditions are set to worsen through Friday, with residents in high‑risk areas urged to leave early and treat today as one of the most dangerous fire days since the Black Summer season.
Towns hit and homes lost
Fire crews say the Longwood blaze in central Victoria has burned tens of thousands of hectares and pushed directly through the small community of Ruffy, about 100 kilometres north of Melbourne.
- Local Country Fire Authority (CFA) captain George Noye told national broadcasters the main street “looks like a bomb has gone off”, with “countless homes” feared destroyed and the local school and recreation ground among the buildings lost.
- Ruffy, a farming community of fewer than 200 people in the Strathbogie Ranges, is now relying on its surviving CFA shed as the main hub for emergency support and coordination.
Authorities say catastrophic conditions mean any new fires are likely to be uncontrollable, with ember attacks, rapid spread and very limited opportunities for ground crews to safely contain the fronts.
Road closures and travel warnings
Victorian authorities are urging residents to avoid all non‑essential travel in fire‑affected regions as major roads are cut and conditions change quickly.
- Sections of the Hume Freeway between Violet Town and Seymour and parts of the Maroondah Highway between Yea and Maindample have been closed due to the Longwood fire, along with several local roads around Euroa and Ruffy.
- Near Walwa, stretches of the Murray Valley Highway and Murray River Road are restricted to emergency or local traffic only, with residents advised to use alternative crossings into New South Wales and to avoid the Jingellic crossing.
Emergency managers stress that roads considered safe in the morning may become dangerous or blocked later in the day as wind changes push fire fronts in new directions.
Heatwave across three states
The Victorian disaster is unfolding against a broader heatwave stretching across South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, driving up bushfire risk over a wide area.
- Severe to extreme heatwave warnings are in place from inland South Australia through western and central Victoria into southern New South Wales, with Renmark forecast to hit 47 degrees and Canberra expected to reach the high 30s.
- Total fire bans have been declared for all of Victoria, fifteen districts in southern South Australia and several border districts in southern New South Wales, including the Southern Riverina and Monaro Alpine regions.
Health authorities are reminding people that heatwaves kill more Australians than any other natural hazard, urging vulnerable residents to stay indoors, stay hydrated and check on neighbours, especially the elderly and very young.
Warnings, resilience and copyright note
Emergency leaders say the safest option for people in bushfire‑prone or heavily forested areas is to leave early and spend the day in a safer town or city, rather than waiting to see how conditions develop.
- Residents are being directed to monitor official channels including VicEmergency, ABC Emergency radio and state fire services for the latest warnings, evacuation advice and relief centre information.
Community leaders in Ruffy and other affected towns describe residents as “incredibly resilient”, focusing first on survival and welfare checks while beginning to grasp the scale of the damage to homes, schools and local infrastructure.
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