Vic: Cloud hampers bushfire work
By Charisse Ede
MELBOURNE, Feb 11 AAP - Low cloud today prevented firefighters from assessing the fullextent of the massive blaze now burning across much of Victoria's east.
Several bushfires which started over the past four weeks have now joined into one hugefirestorm in East Gippsland, with a total fire edge believed be more than 2,100 km long.
Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) spokesman Kevin Monk said more thanone million hectares had now been destroyed by the fires.
But he said low cloud on the southern edge of the state's alpine region prevented aerialinfrared line scanning from pinpointing the exact size and location of the huge blaze.
Mr Monk said firefighters continued to consolidate control lines today in preparationfor backburning this evening, but moist weather conditions had hampered those efforts.
Thunderstorms and lightning are also forecast for eastern Victoria later today, whichhad the potential to spark more fires.
"That will be of concern to us," Mr Monk said.
"We will be monitoring the situation and if we need to, we will be putting up reconnaissanceplanes to assess any damage."
Fire authorities have built hundreds of kilometres of control lines around the perimeterof the fire, which stretches from Bonang in the east to Dargo in the west and Mitta Mittain the north.
About 3,500 firefighters from around Australia, the United States and New Zealand arefighting the blaze, which was sparked by lightning strikes 35 days ago.
AAP ce/gfr/gl/ts
KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES VIC NIGHTLEAD
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