Healesville Community Emergency Hub

27/01/2026

You may experience periods of reduced air quality due to the current fires.

Your nose is an excellent smoke detector. If you can smell smoke, take the necessary precautions to protect your health: https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/smoke-and-your-health.

27/01/2026

The Fire Danger Rating for the Central Fire District is Extreme. A Total Fire Ban is in effect.

With temperatures up to 44 degrees and moderate winds from the North North West, any ignition will be difficult to contain. Residents in bushfire prone areas must prepare their bushfire plan and be ready to leave immediately. Monitor the VicEmergency App and set a Watch Zone to be notified of any fires in your area. The official emergency radio channels for Healesville are ABC Melbourne 774 AM and Radio Eastern 98.1 FM.

Be prepared, stay informed and stay safe!

26/01/2026

We've all had plenty of warning 📣 so we should all be well prepared. If you aren't, please read and act now 👇

Victoria continues to swelter through the longest heatwave the state has seen since 2009.

Today, temperatures will reach a maximum 40-46 degrees in the north, 30-35 degrees in the south and 24-26 degrees in Gippsland.

Temperatures are expected to peak tomorrow, with Walpeup and Hopetoun set to break records.

As Victorians enjoy the public holiday, it’s important to look after your health and the health of those around you in the heat.

Stay safe, drink plenty of water throughout the day. Whether you’re heading to a backyard BBQ, the beach, or Melbourne Park, be sure to stay sun-safe. Take breaks inside to cool down with a fan or air conditioning, and seek shade whenever possible.

Remember, it’s never safe to leave children, older people or pets unattended in vehicles, in any weather, but particularly when we’re facing days of heatwave conditions.

Increased fire activity at the Carlisle River bushfire in the Otways has produced more smoke that may be seen or smelt across Victoria.

To check the air quality in your area, visit the Environment Protection Authority Victoria website: epa.vic.gov.au/check-air-and-water-quality

For more information, head to: epa.vic.gov.au/smoke-and-your-health

Stay informed via the VicEmergency app or emergency.vic.gov.au/respond

📍 Eastern Maar Country

24/01/2026

Smoke from a fire in Carlisle River is currently drifting across the State.
Please only call Triple Zero if you see flames.

📷 Forest Fire Management Victoria & Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

24/01/2026

Know the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and take the most appropriate action 👇

23/01/2026

If you are planning on going to Mansfield, see below 👇

If you're travelling to Mansfield Shire for the Australia Day long weekend, the advice is to travel along the Hume to Benalla and then go south on the Midland to Mansfield Shire.

The Maroondah Highway is closed. It will remain closed into next week at least. Many of the areas the Maroondah Highway connects were severely impacted by the Longwood fire and recovery crews are hard at work making sure the road is safe to use.

But it will not be deemed safe this weekend.

The fire covered a huge area and that has left a lot of work to be completed along many kilometres of road.

Power lines and poles have been brought down by the fires. Trees that have been damaged are still being assessed for safety and until their safety has been assessed, we could see more falling down onto the road.

The work to make sure the Maroondah Highway is safe to use is ongoing but it cannot be rushed and the road will not be opened this weekend.

If you are looking to access Mansfield Shire, please travel along the Hume to Benalla and then go south on the Midland.

15/01/2026

Hi Healesville. Please make sure you have the real emergency app!!

🚨 PLEASE CHECK YOUR APP 🚨

We have noticed some confusion and comments in the community regarding emergency apps. There is only ONE official app for emergency warnings in Victoria: VicEmergency.

We are seeing reports of people downloading and using an unofficial app called "Vic Emergencies" (plural).

❌ This is NOT the official app.
❌ Reports indicate it is NOT working correctly.
❌ It may NOT provide you with critical, life-saving warnings.

If you have the wrong app, delete it and download the official one using the links below. Do not rely on third-party look-alikes for your safety.

📲 DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL VICEMERGENCY APP HERE:

Apple (iOS): https://apps.apple.com/au/app/vicemergency/id356559665

Android (Google Play): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.naturallybeing.fireready&hl=en_AU

Stay safe and stay informed (with the right app).

12/01/2026

If you are wanting to donate to help fire affected communities, Givit might be an option to consider.

Help people across Australia devastated by natural disasters. Floods, bushfires, cyclones and storms are all a part of life in Australia. Donate money, goods or time to help people recover across the country.

11/01/2026

Good morning Healesville & to any fire affected visitors who might be here. The YRC has provided some information about ongoing support for those impacted by the fires, including how to access emergency payments.
There is also some info about mental health support. This might also be helpful for locals who have found the past few days have brought back memories of Black Saturday. Please make use of these services if you think you might benefit from some help.

11/01/2026

For many in Healesville, the fires to the north of us will have brought back memories of Black Saturday. Please know that this is very normal and we hope you can take time to look after yourselves and seek support if you need it. Lifeline has some useful resources that might be helpful. Take care 💕

Understand the mental health impacts of extreme weather and learn ways to manage stress and build resilience before, during, and after a natural disaster.

11/01/2026

Hi Healesville and our guests from the fire affected communities. We wanted to let you know the Relief Centre in Lilydale has now closed and will function as an information hub for the foreseeable future. Please share this info with anyone you think might need to know.

The ICC has approved the closure of the relief centre set up at the Lilydale High School basketball stadium, which was set up to support those moving away from the Longwood bushfires.

The centre will open as an Information Hub tomorrow between 9am-4.30pm.