A cool change and rain have brought welcome relief for emergency crews fighting a bushfire that has been burning for weeks.
After a three-day heatwave that sent the mercury above 40C in parts of Victoria, scattered showers were expected across Monday.
Some of those showers had dumped 10mm of rain on the Grampians fireground by 9am on Monday, with as much as 25mm predicted.
A State Control Centre spokeswoman told AAP that “every little bit helps”.
She said the good news is that over the weekend, despite extreme fire danger predictions, the fire at Halls Gap stayed within containment lines.
A moderate risk-of-fire rating remains in place following days of extreme and high fire danger.
Firefighters battled blazes in the Central Goldfields region near Maryborough and at Moliagul, west of Bendigo, on Sunday, but were able to get the flames under control.
On Monday residents near the 2.7 kilometre Moliagul fire were advised smoke would be visible.
Authorities remain concerned about the bushfire burning in the east of the Grampians National Park since mid-December, with a watch and act warning in place.
Residents are allowed to return to their properties with caution.
The fire is still burning but its spread has slowed.
Heatwave warnings remain in northern WA, northeast South Australia, and parts of northern NSW on Monday.
A high fire danger is forecast in Sydney and surrounding areas with temperatures expected to approach 40C in the city’s west on Monday, meaning residents should be ready to act in the event of fires.
Similar danger is forecast in the state’s central west, southern ranges and northwestern regions.
Residents were advised to monitor conditions with a number of fires burning in Muswellbrook and other parts of the NSW Hunter region.
Source: AAP
