This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/nov/08/dozens-of-bushfires-burn-out-of-control-in-nsw-and-queensland-as-temperatures-soar

The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Dozens of bushfires burn out of control in NSW and Queensland as temperatures soar Dozens of bushfires burn out of control in NSW and Queensland as temperatures soar
(32 minutes later)
Hot and windy weather has created volatile conditions along parts of Australia’s east coastHot and windy weather has created volatile conditions along parts of Australia’s east coast
A mayor on NSW’s mid-north coast says bushfires ripping through the region are “horrifying and horrendous beasts” as authorities reveal a number of homes may have been lost.A mayor on NSW’s mid-north coast says bushfires ripping through the region are “horrifying and horrendous beasts” as authorities reveal a number of homes may have been lost.
Parts of the Pacific Highway and several schools have closed amid the unfolding emergency. Parts of the Pacific highway and several schools have closed.
Residents in parts of Queensland are also on alert as temperatures soar close to 40C across parts of the south-east, while Perth is expected to reach 40C on Saturday. Residents in parts of Queensland are also on alert as temperatures soar close to 40C across parts of the southeast, and Perth is expected to reach 40C on Saturday.
MidCoast council mayor David West says he’s anguished as residents brace themselves in the face of volatile fire conditions near Taree, NSW. The mayor of MidCoast council, David West, said he was in anguish as residents brace in the face of volatile fire conditions near Taree, NSW.
“From my personal perspective, it’s horrifying,” he said on Friday afternoon. “From my personal perspective, it’s horrifying,” he said on Friday afternoon. “I’ve never felt a sense of anguish that I do now, the fear for my community.”
“I’ve never felt a sense of anguish that I do now, the fear for my community.”
West said a fire near Forster threatened a council building on Thursday night.West said a fire near Forster threatened a council building on Thursday night.
“It was literally a wall of yellow, horrible, beastly, tormenting flames,” the mayor said.“It was a horrendous beast.” “It was literally a wall of yellow, horrible, beastly, tormenting flames,” he said.“It was a horrendous beast.”
The mayor - who lives in Brimbin - is particularly concerned about an out-of-control fire burning near Hillville south of Taree. The mayor who lives in Brimbin is particularly concerned about an out-of-control fire burning near Hillville, south of Taree.
The NSW Rural Fire Service says that fire has crossed the Pacific Highway and is spreading quickly. The NSW rural fire service said that fire had crossed the Pacific highway and was spreading quickly.
The highway is closed in both directions between Taree and Bulahdelah. The Pacific Highway is also closed at Port Macquarie between the Oxley Highway and Hastings River Drive. The highway was closed in both directions between Taree and Bulahdelah and at Port Macquarie between the Oxley highway and Hastings River drive.
“It (the Hillville fire) moving toward the coast at a fairly rapid rate,” Mr West said. “The area that I live in hasn’t been burned in about 30 years. There’s a huge amount of fuel load.” “[The Hillville fire] is moving towards the coast at a fairly rapid rate,” West said. “The area that I live in hasn’t been burned in about 30 years. There’s a huge amount of fuel load.”
A number of schools have been closed in the area due to the bushfires. MidCoast council’s deputy mayor, Claire Pontin, who lives in nearby Hallidays Point, said the area was “tinder dry”.
MidCoast council deputy mayor Claire Pontin - who lives in nearby Hallidays Point - says the area is “tinder dry”. “It’s just crispy,” she said. “In places you can hear the leaves crunching under your feet.”
“It’s just crispy. In places, you can hear the leaves crunching under your feet.” There are eight emergency warnings in NSW for fires stretching from just north of Forster to west of Tenterfield near the Queensland border. The worst fires are at: Hillville, Crowdy Bay national park, Tapin Tops national park, Port Macquarie, Willi Willi, the Mistake state forest in Nambucca and surrounds, Tyringham and Torrington.
There are eight emergency warnings current in NSW for fires stretching from just north of Forster to west of Tenterfield near the Queensland border. The worst fires are at: Hillville, Crowdy Bay National Park, Tapin Tops National Park, Port Macquarie, Willi Willi, the Mistake State Forest in Nambucca and surrounds, Tyringham and Torrington. Earlier on Friday the RFS commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, said two homes had been damaged or destroyed in the fire burning at Stockyard Flat near Walcha. Assessors were yet to reach the site.
RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons earlier on Friday said two homes had been damaged or destroyed in the fire burning at Stockyard Flat near Walcha with assessors yet to reach the site. “It is a volatile day and it will remain a volatile day,” Fitzsimmons said.
“It is a volatile day and it will remain a volatile day,” Fitzsimmons told reporters in Sydney.
Fitzsimmons said the bushfire danger across the state was “at the upper end of the scale”, with five total fire bans in place for the New England, far north coast, north coast, Greater Hunter and Northern Slopes regions.Fitzsimmons said the bushfire danger across the state was “at the upper end of the scale”, with five total fire bans in place for the New England, far north coast, north coast, Greater Hunter and Northern Slopes regions.
Fitzsimmons said bush and grass fires are currently burning through about 370,000 hectares of NSW land - more than the entire land area burnt last year. There are nine ‘watch and act’ alerts in place.Dust is expected to be blown across much of the state’s northeast on Friday with the Central Coast and Newcastle areas the worst affected. Fitzsimmons said bush and grass fires were burning through about 370,000 hectares of NSW land more than the entire land area burned last year. There are nine watch and act alerts.Dust is expected to be blown across much of the state’s northeast on Friday with the central coast and Newcastle areas the worst affected.
The fire danger should lessen over the weekend, although threat levels were forecast to rise again on Tuesday or Wednesday next week, Fitzsimmons said.The fire danger should lessen over the weekend, although threat levels were forecast to rise again on Tuesday or Wednesday next week, Fitzsimmons said.
Extreme fire warnings in QueenslandExtreme fire warnings in Queensland
Residents are being told to prepare to leave their homes after a bushfire burning southwest of Brisbane split in two.  Residents were told to prepare to leave their homes after a bushfire burning southwest of Brisbane split in two.
A ‘watch and act’ alert is currently in place for a fire in Clumber, near the border with NSW, and another for a blaze further north in Thornton.  A watch and act alert was in place for a fire in Clumber, near the border with NSW, and for another further north in Thornton.
The Thornton blaze has split into two separate fires travelling in different directions. The Thornton blaze has split into two fires travelling in different directions.
Conditions are challenging because the fire is burning in steep, rugged country.  Conditions were challenging because the fire was burning in steep, rugged country and belts of parched land and withered bush across Queensland have raised the fire risk.
Belts of parched land and withered bush across Queensland are raising the risk of bushfire. Extreme fire warnings are in place from the Gold Coast to the Sunshine Coast, inland to Toowoomba and then out towards Dalby, Miles and Goondiwindi.
Extreme fire warnings are in place from the Gold Coast to the Sunshine Coast, inland to Toowoomba and then out towards Dalby, Miles and Goondiwindi.  A fire ban is in place for residents in the Toowoomba and Southern Downs regional council areas.
A fire ban is in place residents in the Toowoomba and Southern Downs Regional Council areas. Another area of concern is Teewah, north of Noosa, where firefighters have contained a fire but warned it could flare up again.
Another area of concern is Teewah, north of Noosa, where firefighters have contained a fire but warn it could again flare up. Severe warnings were also issued for the area between Gympie and Bundaberg, out to Taroom, Emerald and west to Charleville.
Severe warnings have also been issued for the area between Gympie and Bundaberg, out to Taroom, Emerald and west to Charleville. 
The air is dry, the temperature is hot and strong winds are expected to sweep through areas shrivelled by a lack of rain.The air is dry, the temperature is hot and strong winds are expected to sweep through areas shrivelled by a lack of rain.
“On top of the current weather, we’ve had stress on the plants, we’ve got a lot of what’s called curing, a lot of the grass is already brown,” Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Superintendent James Haig said.  “On top of the current weather, we’ve had stress on the plants, we’ve got a lot of what’s called curing, a lot of the grass is already brown,” the Queensland fire and emergency services superintendent, James Haig, said.
Wind gusts of up to 80km/h are expected Friday afternoon as a low-pressure trough sweeps across the southeast. Wind gusts of up to 80km/h were expected on Friday afternoon when a low-pressure trough sweeps across the southeast.
Brisbane is set to reach a maximum of 37C while Ipswich will sizzle in 39C heat with no chance of rain over the next week. Brisbane was set to reach a maximum of 37C. Ipswich expected 39C and no chance of rain over the next week.