More than 2,000 people have been ordered to evacuate towns in the western Australian state of Victoria as a bushfire raged out of control today.

The emergency services asked residents of the towns of Raglan and Beaufort, home to about 2,000 people, and those in surrounding areas to leave their homes while it was still safe to head east to the nearby regional hub of Ballarat, 95 kilometers away. west of Melbourne.

A fire is raging in an area of ​​approx 50 square kilometers northwest of Ballarat. A fire is also raging out of control in a similar area further west.

State Premier Jacinda Allan said that more than 1,000 firefighters operate on the frontlines, supported by 24 planes and over 100 vehicles. Soon they are scheduled to be sent to participate in firefighting operations and more.

“Immediate removal is the safest option for these communities,” the prime minister said at a press conference. “If you were in these areas, please follow this recommendation, please act now to save your life.”

Officials said no property damage had been reported, but noted that it was still too early to get an accurate picture of the situation.

Large areas of the state are on high fire alert status and the Bureau of Meteorology today issued an extreme fire danger warning for several areas due to hot, dry winds and the possibility of storms.

The fires west of Ballarat are expected to worsen overnight until about midnight, when winds are expected to ease, Jason Heffernan, head of the country’s fire authority, said at the same news conference.

Temperatures were hovering above 40 degrees Celsius in the northwestern part of the state at 15:00 local time (06:00 Greek time).