More than 1,000 homes in Victoria must evacuate before sunset as a huge fire spreads near the Otways. The fire, burning about 9,400 hectares, threatens towns like Gellibrand, Kawarren, and Barongarook. A heatwave with temperatures up to 49°C and strong northerly winds on Tuesday could push the fire as far as Lorne. "The fire is very close to our property," said local Rob Murphy. Authorities sent police and emergency crews door-to-door, telling residents to leave immediately for safety. The state has a total fire ban for Tuesday and closed all visitor sites in the Great Otway National Park. "We have extreme fire danger in the southwest," said State Control Centre spokesperson Reegan Key. Five districts face extreme fire conditions, with some near catastrophic levels. Six major fires burn across Victoria, including the Otways fire, Walwa fire, and one near Alpine National Park. Near the Murray River, residents were also ordered to evacuate as a blaze advances through wilderness areas. The severe heatwave is expected to last several days, adding to firefighting challenges. "Those are always conditions in Victoria that cause trouble with firefighting," Key said.