The first of the two fires started at Kilmore East, Victoria, on the afternoon February 7 2009, and burned south-east towards St. Andrews through Wandong and Clonbinane. The fire destroyed 30 houses at Wandong and Heathcote Junction on February 7. By February 8, 150 houses had been destroyed at Wandong, and four people killed. The fire closed the Seymour railway line, and parts of the Hume Highway near Kilmore. The north west winds blew the front of the fire towards St Andrews, before the weather changed about 7.30pm, changing the wind to the south west. The wind change turned the long, narrow fire, into a wide fire front that moved north east to Kinglake and Strathewen.