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NSW and Queensland fires: residents face 'horrifying beast' of a bushfire, mayor says – live NSW and Queensland fires: residents face 'horrifying beast' of a bushfire, mayor says – live
(32 minutes later)
Huge fires threaten homes on NSW mid-north coast and west of Blue Mountains, as well as near Noosa and Logan in Queensland Huge fires threaten homes on Australia’s NSW mid-north coast and west of Blue Mountains, as well as near Noosa and Logan in Queensland
The extent of the fires – 16 emergency level fires in NSW and three in Queensland – must be putting a strain on fire resources.
Local crews often share workloads, equipment and expertise with one another. But it’s hard to do that when most communities from Taree to the Sunshine Coast have some sort of fire situation.
Just to recap.
Today’s fires are “unprecedented”.
The fires in Queensland earlier this year were “unprecedented”.
The Townsville flood was “unprecedented”.
The inland flood afterwards was “unprecedented”.
The central Queensland fires last year were “unprecedented”.
The drought is “unprecedented”.
Residents at Cooroibah on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland are now evacuating after the fire there was elevated to emergency level.
For those seeking information in relation to bushfires around the Northern Rivers, Clarence Valley, Mid North Coast, and Manning Great Lakes areas, the Public Information and Inquiry Centre (PIIC) has been opened to assist members of the public.
The telephone number to call is 1800 227 228.
NSW police have posted the following safety information:
“Members of the public are reminded to delay all non-essential travel in fire affected areas to assist emergency services.
“Avoid dangers such as damaged powerlines and the possibility of asbestos in fire-damaged properties.
“Monitor emergency websites, including www.rfs.nsw.gov.au, as well as your regular media news sources for updated advice and warnings.”
The NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner calls the situation across a large geographic area of the state ‘severe and extreme’.
We haven’t been able to independently verify any of the images from Twitter, but the photos coming out of these areas are all very similar.
Another emergency warning, for the Myall Creek Road fire (Bora Bridge) in the Richmond Valley area.Another emergency warning, for the Myall Creek Road fire (Bora Bridge) in the Richmond Valley area.
The chief executive of the climate council, Amanda Mckenzie, has released a couple of comments:The chief executive of the climate council, Amanda Mckenzie, has released a couple of comments:
“We are seeing the impacts of intensifying climate change in Australia now. Bushfire seasons are intensifying, starting earlier and lasting longer than ever before, and we need to take this seriously. “The Federal Government is failing Australians on climate and failing to secure Australians a safe future.”“We are seeing the impacts of intensifying climate change in Australia now. Bushfire seasons are intensifying, starting earlier and lasting longer than ever before, and we need to take this seriously. “The Federal Government is failing Australians on climate and failing to secure Australians a safe future.”
Police have declared the blaze that is threatening homes at Cooribah on Friday afternoon an emergency and are urging residents in its path to leave now. Police have declared the blaze that is threatening homes at Cooroibah on Friday afternoon an emergency and are urging residents in its path to leave now.
They have declared an exclusion zone encompassing Louis Bazzo Drive south to Kimbah Court, and McKinnon Drive east to Lake Cooroibah Road, continuing along Noosa River waterway north to Boreen Point, then across to McKinnon Drive at Louis Bazzo Drive.They have declared an exclusion zone encompassing Louis Bazzo Drive south to Kimbah Court, and McKinnon Drive east to Lake Cooroibah Road, continuing along Noosa River waterway north to Boreen Point, then across to McKinnon Drive at Louis Bazzo Drive.
The bushfire at Tarome in Queensland is now upgraded to emergency level.The bushfire at Tarome in Queensland is now upgraded to emergency level.
Authorities say it is large, unpredictable and fast moving.Authorities say it is large, unpredictable and fast moving.
Unbelievable images being sent around from the Mid-North Coast of NSW, everywhere is hellfire orange red.Unbelievable images being sent around from the Mid-North Coast of NSW, everywhere is hellfire orange red.
Stand by for your live blogger potentially being evacuated, looks like fires are now only a few kilometres from this usually uneventful abode in suburban Brisbane.Stand by for your live blogger potentially being evacuated, looks like fires are now only a few kilometres from this usually uneventful abode in suburban Brisbane.
Firefighters now fighting a blaze at The Gap. There’s a bit of bushland about there but people in Brisvegas using garden hoses in the suburbs is not normal.Firefighters now fighting a blaze at The Gap. There’s a bit of bushland about there but people in Brisvegas using garden hoses in the suburbs is not normal.
Does anyone else get the sense this is not normal? Like the climate has changed or something?Does anyone else get the sense this is not normal? Like the climate has changed or something?
In other news, it’s snowing. Snowing. In NSW. Today.
Half the state is on fire and it’s snowing.
But hey, the climate is totally normal and this sort of stuff happens all the time.
The Mid Coast mayor David West has been preparing his own property and is back live on the ABC.
“It’s a horrible, horrible sight. The fire from Hillville has caused the evacuation of my daughter and her two children from their brand new home. It doesn’t seem that we as human beings have anything we can throw at this beast.“It is incredibly dry, there is no moisture in the air, the wind is ridiculous and we are just getting hammered.”
Lives and homes in Western Australia are also being threatened by bushfires.
An emergency warning was issued for Regans Ford, a small town more than 100km north of Perth, just after midday WST on Friday.
Homes in Woodbine Road are under threat, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services says.
The biggest concern at the moment is that weather conditions could potentially worsen in many places later this afternoon.
Right across NSW and southern Queensland conditions are hot, dry and windy.
“We are getting some increasing aggressive fire behaviour, which is creating a very dangerous and volatile situation,” RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons has told the ABC.
“Because the drought is so profound there is no moisture left in the vegetation. The fires are moving through vegetation very quickly.”
This, from The Weather Chaser, shows the smoke and ash plumes above the NSW coast.
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons has spoken to the ABC and says the state has “never had this many fires at emergency level”
“Unfortunately we are in uncharted territory this afternoon,” he said. “We have 90 fires across New South Wales.”
The Hillville fire, south of Taree, is among the most intense across the state.
This video from the Rural Fire Service shows virtually no visibility due to thick smoke.