Australian authorities have ordered the evacuation of hundreds of residents in the state of Victoria due to raging bushfires.

State officials warned of the danger of out-of-control bushfires in the Grampians National Park area west of Melbourne, which are threatening neighbouring rural areas.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Gary Cook said the fire posed a major challenge due to the presence of ‘a lot of unburned fuel’, and noted that local authorities were continuing to warn residents of the fire danger.