Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Victoria bushfires: Flaming trees glow pink in mesmerising video filmed in Melbourne

Blaze was caused by multiple lightning strikes

Tom Richell
Sunday 03 March 2019 10:35 EST
Comments
Australia bushfires: Flaming trees glow pink in mesmerising video filmed in Melbourne

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A volunteer firefighter crew has released footage showing trees glowing pink during intense bushfires at Bunyip State Park near Melbourne.

In the video, the crew can be seen driving through the park while its trees are covered in embers.

The blaze was caused by multiple lightning strikes on Friday but is one of 25 fires across southern Australia in recent days as the country suffers a record-breaking heatwave.

The continent is prone to deadly blazes thanks to its combination of remote terrain, high summer temperatures and flammable eucalyptus bush.

A four-day heatwave has brought severe weather across the southern parts of Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania over the weekend.

The south-eastern state of Victoria was the worst hit, with more than 2,000 firefighters, water-bombing aircraft and volunteers battling blazes on Sunday.

“It's a dangerous time, putting it bluntly,” Victoria's Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said in a televised emergency briefing on Sunday.

“Not just for communities but for firefighters.”

In 2009, the worst bushfires on record destroyed thousands of homes in Victoria, killing 173 people and injuring 414 on a day the media dubbed “Black Saturday”.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in