A well-timed rain shower has aided firefighters battling a blaze that destroyed a house on the outskirts of Melbourne. The blaze swept through rugged terrain at Montrose in the city’s outer east on Saturday night, prompting an emergency warning for nearby residents. The fire destroyed one home, significantly damaged another, and burnt 33 hectares by Sunday morning. Emergency warnings were later downgraded to a watch and act alert. Rain has since provided further assistance, with almost 10mm of rain recorded in the area. Fire crews continued their work into Sunday evening to control the blaze and prevent embers from reaching nearby homes. While a potential change in wind direction remained a concern, fire officials were confident that the blaze would not spread significantly. High fire danger ratings were declared across Victoria, with additional fires reported in South Australia and New South Wales.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/weather/2025/mar/16/rain-comes-to-aid-of-firefighters-after-fast-moving-blaze-destroys-melbourne-home