Police have launched an investigation into the death of two firefighters have been killed as they worked on a large bushfire burning in Victoria's alpine region.
Police say the woman was in her late teens and from Tallandoon, while the man is believed to be in his 30s and from Corryong.
The Australian Workers Union Victorian branch says two DSE firefighters have been killed in the line of duty in a fire in the Ovens region on Wednesday afternoon.
A tree fell on a vehicle late on Wednesday afternoon, an Ambulance Victoria spokesman said.
The Department of Sustainability and Environment say there had been a serious accident at the Harrietville-Alpine North fire and have confirmed the firefighters were DSE employees.
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"The DSE can now confirm the sad news of the death of two DSE fire-fighters at the Harrietville – Alpine North fire ground," a media statement from DSE read.
"Victoria Police investigators believe the colleagues were in their emergency vehicle, which was struck by a falling tree about 3.35pm today – Wednesday 13 February. Emergency services attempted to attend the scene but due to fire and difficult conditions in the immediate area were unable to. They reached the scene around 8.10pm. The deceased man is believed to be in his 30s from Corryong and the woman in her late teens, from Tallandoon. DSE is working closely with Victoria Police and our thoughts are with the families of our two DSE staff members, our staff and the community during this difficult time."
AWU Victorian secretary Cesar Melhem said the deaths were a shattering loss for the firefighters' families, their workmates, the union and all Victorians.
"These DSE firefighters work in the most horrific conditions imaginable, away from the big centres, out in the bush, and with very little recognition for their heroic contribution to this state," Mr Melhem said in a statement.
"They have died heroes, which will be small comfort to those that grieve them."
"The priority at this stage will be to recover the bodies because they're still behind the fire lines and attend to the rest of the firefighters making sure all of the support has been provided to them," Mr Melhem said.
The DSE and CFA had earlier said firefighters were making the most of mild weather conditions working around the clock to control hotspots and build containment lines around the fire.
The Harrietville fire has burned 27,000 hectares since it was started by lightning on January 21.
Another Victorian DSE firefighter died while working on bushfires in Tasmania last month.
Peter Cramer, a DSE firefighter and CFA volunteer from Tyers in Gippsland, was part of a contingent of more than 70 Victorian emergency services workers sent to Tasmania to help fight the fires.
Mr Cramer, 61, died on January 13 at Taranna, east of Hobart, while working on foot to identify potential containment lines on the southern boundary of the Forcett fire about two to three kilometres from the active fire edge.
