<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A major bushfire that has </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/live-updates-victoria-fires-heatwaves-nsw-evacuations-warnings/b3dd925f-8fcf-45f9-bb78-be279eda0b24" rel="" target="" title="destroyed homes and left three people missing in central Victoria"><span>destroyed homes and left three people missing in central Victoria</span></a><span> has created scenes that a local firefighter has likened to an "atomic bomb".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The out-of-control blaze in Longwood has already burnt more than 48,000 hectares of land around the townships of Ruffy, Tarcombe, Caveat and Dropmore as the state battles the most dangerous conditions since the Black Summer fires.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the small town of Ruffy, south of the fire, at least 10 homes have been destroyed.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/victoria-fires-state-faces-catastrophic-and-extreme-fire-conditions/c57fd4c4-d767-4be8-827d-b37976be2ce7" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Three people, including a child, missing in Victorian bushfires</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It looks like an atomic bomb has gone off," CFA Captain George Noye told ABC this morning.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We've lost the old school, the old Ruffy produce store is gone, three houses on the main street. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We've lost countless homes across the area. Ten of my firefighters that I know of have lost homes."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/victoria-bushfires-longwood-ruffy-unrecognisable-scenes/18de54ff-08d1-4ffb-b690-9c204acb4604" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Noye told 9News this afternoon that the fire has cleared homes, buildings and livestock.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There's not much left. It's just ash. If we go away to a lot of fires, and we see this happen with communities... It's devastating," he said, becoming visibly emotional.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/hottest-day-in-years-for-parts-of-southeastern-australia/12241c2a-8277-4d36-8c9b-a4a0917e02e3" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Parts of Australia's south-east set to face hottest days in years</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/victoria-fires-state-faces-catastrophic-and-extreme-fire-conditions/c57fd4c4-d767-4be8-827d-b37976be2ce7" rel="" target="" title="Three people also remain missing"><span>Three people also remain missing</span></a><span> in nearby Longwood East. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Robert Hill said firefighters had come across a man, woman and child near a home and advised them to take shelter because it was too late to evacuate.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Those firefighters later went back to the home and saw it had been destroyed by the fire.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Those three people remain unaccounted for. Where that house has been destroyed is still a hot spot, and we are yet to be able to put the strike team from the fire services into that area to conduct an assessment for us," Hill said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/prime-minister-defends-bondi-beach-shooting-royal-commissioner-virginia-bell/4428e9b6-5efa-435b-9482-a0f299452120" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Prime Minister rejects criticism of former judge leading Bondi attack royal commission</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Longwood fire has been described as "incredibly dynamic" with emergency services warning it is spreading in multiple directions.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Residents in the impact zone have been told it is too late to leave and shelter now, while others in potential impact areas are urged to evacuate now.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Victoria is experiencing extreme fire conditions due to the peaking heatwave and strong, dry winds.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/arctic-freeze-grips-britain-and-europe/d97d7db2-09e2-4b7e-af94-d16c1b014c76" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Polar blast across Europe sends temperatures plunging as low as -33 degrees</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There are currently seven emergency bushfires burning across the state in Longwood, Walwa, Streatham, Natimuk, Harcourt and Ravenswood, Muckatah and Bamganie.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Temperatures reached 46.7 degrees in Walpeup and 42.9 degrees in Melbourne.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A total fire ban is in place for all of Victoria today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>For all the latest updates and advice on fires, visit the </span><a href="https://emergency.vic.gov.au/respond/" target="_blank" title="VicEmergency website"><span>VicEmergency website</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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