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| Bushfire fears as south-eastern Australia swelters through record heat | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Emergency services in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory have predicted a worse than usual bushfire season, as this week’s heatwave breaks December records in south-eastern Australia. | Emergency services in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory have predicted a worse than usual bushfire season, as this week’s heatwave breaks December records in south-eastern Australia. |
| The NSW Rural Fire Service warned that drier than average conditions made NSW “extremely vulnerable” to bushfires this summer, while fire bans were declared in parts of NSW, Victoria and South Australia for Tuesday and Wednesday. | The NSW Rural Fire Service warned that drier than average conditions made NSW “extremely vulnerable” to bushfires this summer, while fire bans were declared in parts of NSW, Victoria and South Australia for Tuesday and Wednesday. |
| On Tuesday afternoon residents in Neath and Abermain, near Cessnock in the NSW Hunter Valley, were warned to take shelter as 80 firefighters assisted by water-dropping aircraft fought two fires in the area. | On Tuesday afternoon residents in Neath and Abermain, near Cessnock in the NSW Hunter Valley, were warned to take shelter as 80 firefighters assisted by water-dropping aircraft fought two fires in the area. |
| Residents in several streets were told it was too late to leave their homes. Others were advised it might not be safe to return home. | Residents in several streets were told it was too late to leave their homes. Others were advised it might not be safe to return home. |
| #Abermain / #Neath Fire: It is too late to leave for residents in Carrs Rd, Charles Rd & York St. Seek shelter as the fire approaches. | #Abermain / #Neath Fire: It is too late to leave for residents in Carrs Rd, Charles Rd & York St. Seek shelter as the fire approaches. |
| #Abermain / #Neath Fire: This video footage was taken about an hour ago by a #NSWRFS chopper fighting the fire. #nswfires pic.twitter.com/Fb4fiYLkxA | #Abermain / #Neath Fire: This video footage was taken about an hour ago by a #NSWRFS chopper fighting the fire. #nswfires pic.twitter.com/Fb4fiYLkxA |
| Temperatures were expected to exceed 33C in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide concurrently, which has not occurred in December since 1965. Tuesday was forecast to be Sydney’s hottest December night since 1972. | Temperatures were expected to exceed 33C in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide concurrently, which has not occurred in December since 1965. Tuesday was forecast to be Sydney’s hottest December night since 1972. |
| The deputy commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service, Rob Rogers, said he was concerned about the December to February period. | The deputy commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service, Rob Rogers, said he was concerned about the December to February period. |
| “We’ve had some really significant rainfall west of the ranges over winter which has caused a huge amount of grass growth west of the Great Dividing Range. This is quite concerning for us regarding the potential for significant grass fires over the summer,” he said. | “We’ve had some really significant rainfall west of the ranges over winter which has caused a huge amount of grass growth west of the Great Dividing Range. This is quite concerning for us regarding the potential for significant grass fires over the summer,” he said. |
| The RFS has extended the lease of one of its 44,000 capacity fire-fighting air tankers as an extra precaution. “It only takes a day or two of warm weather,” Rogers said. | The RFS has extended the lease of one of its 44,000 capacity fire-fighting air tankers as an extra precaution. “It only takes a day or two of warm weather,” Rogers said. |
| His concerns echoed a recent report from the Australian Climate Council which predicted “tinderbox conditions” for NSW and the ACT and “above average” bushfire potential for parts of Western Australia and Queensland. | His concerns echoed a recent report from the Australian Climate Council which predicted “tinderbox conditions” for NSW and the ACT and “above average” bushfire potential for parts of Western Australia and Queensland. |
| “The trend of warmer and drier than average weather conditions mean both NSW and the ACT are extremely vulnerable to bushfires this summer,” it said. | “The trend of warmer and drier than average weather conditions mean both NSW and the ACT are extremely vulnerable to bushfires this summer,” it said. |
| “We had one of the wettest springs on record and then one of the driest Octobers on record, so we’ve got a lot of grass there that is very, very dry. That provides a very dangerous level of fuel,” Prof Lesley Hughes said. | “We had one of the wettest springs on record and then one of the driest Octobers on record, so we’ve got a lot of grass there that is very, very dry. That provides a very dangerous level of fuel,” Prof Lesley Hughes said. |
| She linked the report’s findings to climate change and urged the government to take immediate local action as well as working globally to curb emissions. | She linked the report’s findings to climate change and urged the government to take immediate local action as well as working globally to curb emissions. |
| “The most important message to get across is that climate change is with us now. We’re already getting more extreme hot weather and we will continue to see this risk of bushfires increasing”, she said. | “The most important message to get across is that climate change is with us now. We’re already getting more extreme hot weather and we will continue to see this risk of bushfires increasing”, she said. |
| “We need to make sure our emergency services are adequately resourced, and that that increases as the risk from climate change increases. Long term, we fundamentally have to control our emissions and work with the rest of the world to do that. Australia is widely recognised as lagging sadly behind.” | “We need to make sure our emergency services are adequately resourced, and that that increases as the risk from climate change increases. Long term, we fundamentally have to control our emissions and work with the rest of the world to do that. Australia is widely recognised as lagging sadly behind.” |
| The chief officer of the Victorian Country Fire Association, Steve Warrington, also noted concern over grass fires, but said the summer was otherwise “looking like a traditional fire season”. | The chief officer of the Victorian Country Fire Association, Steve Warrington, also noted concern over grass fires, but said the summer was otherwise “looking like a traditional fire season”. |
| “We think it will be short and sharp”, he said. “The focus this year will be on the grasslands and the scrub coastal areas around Victoria”. | “We think it will be short and sharp”, he said. “The focus this year will be on the grasslands and the scrub coastal areas around Victoria”. |
| But he said homeowners and municipalities should take extra precautions due to recent weather fluctuations. | But he said homeowners and municipalities should take extra precautions due to recent weather fluctuations. |
| “Normally we would have a lead-in time – but we’ve almost turned the tap on overnight, we’ve gone from rain and cold and floods to heat and fire almost within a week,” he said. “The time that people normally have to clean up their property isn’t there.” | “Normally we would have a lead-in time – but we’ve almost turned the tap on overnight, we’ve gone from rain and cold and floods to heat and fire almost within a week,” he said. “The time that people normally have to clean up their property isn’t there.” |
| Fire services advised vulnerable homeowners to prepare a bushfire survival plan, clean out gutters and remove combustibles such as wood piles from around their homes. | Fire services advised vulnerable homeowners to prepare a bushfire survival plan, clean out gutters and remove combustibles such as wood piles from around their homes. |
| In NSW, with temperatures nudging 40C in some areas, severe fire warnings were in place in the north, south and eastern Riverina and the lower Central West Plains, with total fire bans in seven districts. | In NSW, with temperatures nudging 40C in some areas, severe fire warnings were in place in the north, south and eastern Riverina and the lower Central West Plains, with total fire bans in seven districts. |
| A Total Fire Ban is now in place for many parts of NSW.Report all unattended fires to Triple Zero. #NSWRFS pic.twitter.com/uAXNSOvMlR | A Total Fire Ban is now in place for many parts of NSW.Report all unattended fires to Triple Zero. #NSWRFS pic.twitter.com/uAXNSOvMlR |
| The RFS put out isolated spot fires throughout the day and instructed farmers in several regions to cease harvesting. | The RFS put out isolated spot fires throughout the day and instructed farmers in several regions to cease harvesting. |
| Two helicopters were on standby in strategic areas. | Two helicopters were on standby in strategic areas. |
| The RFS dispatched an air tanker to Oakland in the Riverina to control a fire that had broken out. | The RFS dispatched an air tanker to Oakland in the Riverina to control a fire that had broken out. |
| #Oaklands Fire: Our Very Large Air Tanker ‘Southern Belle’ has been dispatched to assist with this fire. #nswfires #NSWRFS | #Oaklands Fire: Our Very Large Air Tanker ‘Southern Belle’ has been dispatched to assist with this fire. #nswfires #NSWRFS |
| Fire burning near Oaklands. Fanned by strong, hot northerly winds. @NSWRFS crews on way. @bordermail pic.twitter.com/EQAlU9E89Q | Fire burning near Oaklands. Fanned by strong, hot northerly winds. @NSWRFS crews on way. @bordermail pic.twitter.com/EQAlU9E89Q |
| In South Australia, total fire bans were declared in 10 districts as the Bureau of Meteorology forecast temperatures in the low 40s in some parts of the state. On Tuesday morning firefighters were tackling a bushfire across 3,300 hectares between the Nullarbor Roadhouse and the Western Australian border. | In South Australia, total fire bans were declared in 10 districts as the Bureau of Meteorology forecast temperatures in the low 40s in some parts of the state. On Tuesday morning firefighters were tackling a bushfire across 3,300 hectares between the Nullarbor Roadhouse and the Western Australian border. |
| REMINDER : TOTAL FIRE BANS TODAY Tuesday, 13 December 2016 in TEN Fire Ban Districts https://t.co/4mSW9wfv3e #TFB #AdelHills #SouthAus pic.twitter.com/JLx8kw9xhF | REMINDER : TOTAL FIRE BANS TODAY Tuesday, 13 December 2016 in TEN Fire Ban Districts https://t.co/4mSW9wfv3e #TFB #AdelHills #SouthAus pic.twitter.com/JLx8kw9xhF |
| In Victoria a total fire ban was declared in three districts, with very high to severe conditions across the state. | In Victoria a total fire ban was declared in three districts, with very high to severe conditions across the state. |
| The RPSCA warned pet owners against a potential “epidemic of heat stress-related injuries and possible death” for dogs during the hot spell. | The RPSCA warned pet owners against a potential “epidemic of heat stress-related injuries and possible death” for dogs during the hot spell. |
| “It only takes six minutes for an animal to die from heat stroke,” said RSPCA NSW chief inspector David OShannessy. He urged dog owners not to leave their pets unattended in cars and to take extra precautions in providing water and shade. | “It only takes six minutes for an animal to die from heat stroke,” said RSPCA NSW chief inspector David OShannessy. He urged dog owners not to leave their pets unattended in cars and to take extra precautions in providing water and shade. |