Firefighters are warning residents to brace for more property losses in central Victoria where a controlled burn-off became a massive bushfire.
Country Fire Authority chief officer Euan Ferguson told angry locals in Lancefield on Wednesday more property losses were likely from the Cobaw fire.
Fallen trees and other hazards were making it difficult for firefighters to complete a full damage assessment but one house has been destroyed and at least one more is suspected to be lost, he said.
"I don't want to pull any punches here. But I think it's reasonable to expect there will be more property losses. I hope I'm wrong," he told locals from the area.
They had packed the Lancefield town hall, as gusty winds drove the 3,000 hectare blaze towards Benloch, to hear how the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning controlled burn was allowed to jump containment lines on Saturday.
One angry local shouted: "if we lit the fire we'd go to jail - you should go to jail too!"
They were told it was too soon to say how it all happened and there would be a review.
Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters in Melbourne the residents had a right to be angry.
"Sadly one house has gone in yesterday's fires, a number of sheds, fencing of course, that's a really sad situation," he said.
Environment Minister Lisa Neville said any issue of compensation would be covered in an independent review.
"I've made sure this is going to be an external review so that people in the community can have confidence," Ms Neville told reporters.
Back in Lancefield, Tom Barnes is one of the many facing a nerve-wracking wait to find out whether their homes have survived.
Road blocks are currently preventing his return to the emergency zone that encompasses Benloch, Pastoria East, Pastoria, Nulla Vale, Baynton and Emu Flat.
"I'm not angry at anyone," Mr Barnes told AAP.
"One part of me is really frustrated that it has happened but I also recognise the need to do it for fuel reduction - perhaps they could have chosen their time a little more carefully."
Ms Neville said the government doesn't expect much more short-term planned burning as the hot, dry conditions have made it too dangerous.
But burns may still be necessary, Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley says.
"It would be unlikely to see any significant large burns being put in place. But strategically there may still be the need to put burns in that protect our community," he told reporters.
Share
