General News
9 January, 2026
Moyreisk grassfire contained ahead of region’s highest Fire Danger Rating
Wednesday’s grassfire on the Sunraysia Highway, near Maryborough-St Arnaud Road in Moyreisk, saw around 40 firefighting units respond in extreme heat.
Wednesday’s grassfire on the Sunraysia Highway, near Maryborough-St Arnaud Road in Moyreisk, saw around 40 firefighting units respond in extreme heat and dry conditions.
Emergency services were paged at 11.42 am for a fire that would go on to burn 28 hectares of farmland before it was contained.
Local fire brigades joined units across the region, as well as helicopter and fixed-wing air support, in battling the fire.
At time of print no cause had been confirmed.
Around midday people in Moyreisk, Natte Yallock, Redbank, and Stuart Mill near Peacock Road and Coates Road were told to evacuate immediately while incoming traffic was stopped.
Goldfields Group Strike Team Leader Robert Durbridge said the firefighting response was made more challenging due to the heat which topped 40 degrees.
“The first attack crews had a very very hot and a very fast running fire for a start,” he said.
“The initial attack flame heights … were four or five metres high.”
Mr Durbridge said crews experienced multiple vehicle issues including one truck with a punctured fuel filter.
“When you’re on fire grounds like that and you’ve got machinery working and throwing up stumps and loose sticks you’re always going to find problems,” he said.
Among them was the dust kicked up by trucks and the mineral earth break made to contain the fire.
“The more trucks you get on a fire ground they kick up the dust out of the paddocks,” he said.
“There were a lot of trucks that required all their engines blowing out.”
While most volunteer firefighters remained until around 7 pm, they were supported by the Golden Square Rehabilitation unit who monitored for signs of heat stroke and kept crews hydrated.
“We were out for seven hours on the hot fire ground, working in hot conditions, very very taxing on the system,” Mr Durbridge said.
While the grassfire is now contained and monitored, he warned the community to remain vigilant as fire conditions worsen on Friday.
Wimmera, Northern Country, and North Central districts (which includes the Central Goldfields) are forecast to reach Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating.
This means conditions will be the most dangerous for a fire and if a fire starts and takes hold, lives and homes are likely to be lost.
“If a fire starts [on Friday] there’s all possibility the first attack will not pull the fire up,” he said.
“It’ll be a very, very dangerous day.”
The community are encouraged to monitor the VicEmergency app, follow emergency advice in case of a fire, and avoid behaviour that may start a fire such as mowing.