Communities are being urged to flee the bushfires in eastern Australia

Australian authorities on Thursday urged people in dozens of rural communities to leave their homes “immediately” to avoid an out-of-control bushfire sweeping through a national park.

About 600 firefighters were battling the fire in the Grampians National Park, 240 kilometers west of Melbourne, a Victoria state emergency services spokesman said.

The fire lasted more than a week in hot, windy conditions, scorching 55,000 hectares (136,000 acres) – about a third of the park – so far with no deaths or homes destroyed.

State emergency services warned residents in more than two dozen mostly small rural communities with populations ranging from just six to several hundred to leave their homes immediately.

People in several other communities were told to shelter indoors because it was not safe to leave.

Firefighters expected shifting winds to complicate their task throughout the day, said Luke Hegarty, spokesman for the Victoria state control center.

“We are reaching a critical part of the day where we see winds moving through the western part of the state,” he said in an afternoon update.

“We expect strong winds and shifting winds to be a concern over the next few hours.”

A total fire ban has been imposed across Victoria, barring any outdoor fires. (AFP)