Bushfires in Victoria leave three people missing amid 'catastrophic' conditions

Three people are unaccounted for as bushfires in Victoria burned large areas and authorities declared a 'catastrophic' fire danger, with evacuations, school closures and a state-wide fire ban put in place.

Bushfires raged across Victoria, Australia, leaving three people unaccounted for and destroying homes, authorities reported. Major blazes near Longwood and Walwa have burned tens of thousands of hectares during an intense summer heatwave. Officials set the fire danger rating at "catastrophic" and ordered evacuations as closures and service cancellations took place. Key facts: - Three people were reported unaccounted for amid out-of-control fires, according to authorities. - The Longwood blaze has burned more than 35,000 hectares and the Walwa blaze around 20,000 hectares; both started on Wednesday during the heatwave. - Authorities declared a "catastrophic" fire danger for Friday, issued evacuations for dozens of towns, closed about 450 schools, canceled many regional train services, and imposed a total fire ban across the state. - Meteorologists said conditions are comparable to 2019's Black Summer, and an analysis by Climate Central reported that human-caused climate change made the heat at least two to five times more likely; New Zealand's MetService also warned of record warm temperatures as the heatwave moves across the Tasman. Summary: The fires present ongoing risks to life and property across affected parts of Victoria, with widespread disruptions and evacuations in place. Undetermined at this time.