Overview
- Police say one person died near Longwood as fire swept through bushland north of Melbourne.
- Emergency authorities report more than 70 homes and over 230 other buildings destroyed, with severe damage in towns such as Ruffy.
- The burned area in Victoria now exceeds 300,000 hectares, with roughly 36 major fires still active and thousands of firefighters deployed under a statewide emergency and total fire ban.
- Slightly cooler, less windy conditions on Sunday improved suppression efforts, but leaders warn containment could take weeks.
- A developing tropical system named Koji is forecast to bring heavy rain to northern Queensland, creating a broader national hazard picture.