Sydney/Melbourne, January 11, 2026 – Australian authorities have warned that it could take weeks to gain control over the massive bushfires currently ravaging the country’s southeast. A “State of Disaster” has been declared in Victoria, where heatwave conditions and strong winds have fueled blazes that officials describe as the most dangerous since the catastrophic Black Summer of 2019-2020.
Death Toll and Destruction Police have confirmed the first death of the disaster after human remains were discovered near a vehicle in Longwood, about 110 km north of Melbourne. The fires have already destroyed over 300 structures, including at least 130 homes, and burned through more than 350,000 hectares of forest, agricultural land, and vineyards.
Extreme Fire Weather In Victoria alone, more than 30 separate blazes are still burning. Chief Fire Officer Chris Hardman stated that the fires would likely not be contained before the next cycle of hot, dry, and windy weather. One of the largest fires near Longwood has created its own weather system, including pyrocumulonimbus clouds that generate lightning, starting new fires in a vicious cycle.
National Response Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced emergency funding for residents and farmers, noting that thousands of livestock have likely perished. Thousands of firefighters and more than 70 aircraft are currently battling the flames, with smoke impacting air quality as far away as metropolitan Melbourne.