Fears of a horror bushfire season have arisen after numerous fires broke out last week around Orbost, the same day El Nino was declared.
On Tuesday, September 19, a number of grass fires and a tyre fire at Newmerella kept fire crews busy, with a section of the Princes Highway closing, leaving travellers unable to use the highway between Newmerella and Nowa Nowa.
Between 13-15 volunteers responded to the tyre fire.
With the fires burning throughout the night, businesses were flat out, with reports of the Orbost Club Hotel serving close to 300 meals and not a bed left in the Orbost township.
The very same day, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) made the announcement that Australia was officially in an El Nino event.

IMAGE: Memories of the Black Summer Bushfires returned last week, after grass fires and a tyre fire at Newmerella caused the Princes Highway to close between Newmerella and Nowa Nowa, leaving travellers stranded. Thick black smoke from the tyre fire was seen billowing from the site.