The Australian state of Victoria is beginning a grim assessment of the damage after a series of devastating bushfires tore through central regions, leaving a trail of destruction described by officials as 'heartbreaking'. At least 350 structures have been lost so far, with the blazes consuming tens of thousands of hectares around towns including Longwood, Ruffy, and Gobur.
A State in Flames: The Scale of the Disaster
Fires, which raged under catastrophic conditions in early January 2026, forced widespread evacuations and mobilised a huge contingent of firefighters. Striking images from the affected areas show the extent of the loss: a melted tricycle in the ashes of a Upton Hill property, blackened sheep standing in scorched paddocks, and the skeletal remains of homes and shops like the Avenel store beside the Avenel-Longwood Road. The human cost is deeply personal, with homes belonging to volunteer firefighters among those destroyed.
Smoke from the infernos cast an eerie orange hue over Melbourne's Docklands, a stark reminder of the crisis unfolding in the countryside. Firefighting efforts were monumental, involving ground crews from brigades like Strathbogie and Oxley, and aerial support conducting water drops near Creightons Creek.
Community Response and Official Action
In response to the scale of the loss, Victoria's Premier announced a fundraising appeal to support victims. The community spirit was also evident on the ground, with individuals like East Gippsland resident Colin Brown travelling to Ruffy to distribute relief hay to fire-affected farmers. Meanwhile, residents have been warned to prepare for the remainder of the fire season, indicating that the threat is far from over.
The resilience of both emergency services and locals was captured in poignant moments: CFA members dousing a home in Longwood under an Australian flag, firefighter Ian Millar preparing to return to the fireground after tanker repairs, and Year 11 student Max helping to tackle a burning log in Ruffy.
Counting the Cost and Looking Ahead
As the immediate danger subsides in some areas, with CFA crews mopping up hotspots near Alexandra, the full impact is becoming clear. Photographs from Yarck and properties near Longwood show centres of communities reduced to ashes. For individuals like Daryl Otzen in Ruffy, the loss is total, standing beside his burnt-out cars on his destroyed property.
The devastation underscores the increasing severity of Australia's bushfire seasons. With multiple fire fronts having burned across the state, the recovery for Victoria will be long and arduous, built on the back of courageous firefighting and a wave of community support now being formally channelled through the Premier's appeal.
