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Fire threatens Vic power stations, town

Fire is at the back fence of homes in the Victorian town of Morwell and is threatening the state’s biggest power stations.

Fire authorities say there is a blaze in the Hazelwood open cut coal mine and fire is also around the Yallourn open cut mine.

Of biggest concern to fire crews is the Latrobe Valley city of Morwell where fire is threatening homes on the town’s western edge.

Emergency warnings have been issued for Morwell Bridge and Morwell West with a fast moving, out-of-control grassfire travelling in a northeasterly direction towards Morwell.

“Fire has moved to the edge urban area of Morwell at Morwell West. Houses on the fringe of the urban area now have fire adjacent to them and it has moved into a number of plantation areas,” incident controller Laurie Jeremiah told ABC Radio.

“I am not aware of any property loss at this stage, so no houses burnt, but it is certainly at the back fences of the properties that are on the western edge of Morwell.”

Fire authorities are also concerned about the Hazelwood Power Station.

“There is one substation that is under threat, so we have a number of resources on that dealing with it, but my understanding is that it is still functional,” Mr Jeremiah said.

At the Yallourn Power Station the fire is burning in grassy areas near the open cut mine.

Morwell, about 150km from Melbourne, has a population of about 14,000.

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