MELBOURNE, Feb 11, (Xinhua): An emergency warning was issued on Wednesday afternoon for an out-of-control grassfire burning in the outer northern suburbs of Melbourne. Authorities in the state of Victoria said that residents in eight suburbs and towns around 30 km north of central Melbourne should shelter indoors immediately.

According to the VicEmergency service, there were 68 firefighting vehicles responding to the fire. The emergency warning said that a wind change forecast to occur on Wednesday evening will cause the fire to change directions and that conditions could become very dangerous and unpredictable.

Residents have been advised to shelter in a room that has two exits, including one directly to the outside, and to close all exterior doors, windows and vents. Anyone who cannot get indoors has been told to shelter in the middle of a large open area or in a large body of water. A total fire ban was declared for most of Victoria, including Melbourne, on Wednesday as maximum temperatures exceeded 35 degrees Celsius.