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NSW and Queensland fires: Berejiklian declares state of emergency amid 'catastrophic' bushfire conditions – live
NSW and Queensland fires: catastrophic bushfire conditions spread to Illawarra and Shoalhaven – live
(32 minutes later)
Fears for Sydney and the Hunter with conditions set to worsen on Tuesday, while dozens of bushfires continue to burn across Australia’s east coast
Fears for Sydney and the Hunter with conditions set to worsen on Tuesday, while dozens of bushfires continue to burn across Australia’s east coast
Conditions have now worsened, according to the NSW RFS, which means catastrophic conditions will now affect a third major region: the Illawarra and Shoalhaven.
“The fire danger is now expected to be worse than originally forecast,” the RFS said. “The Illawarra Shoalhaven has now been added as an area of catastrophic fire danger.”
“Catastrophic is the highest level of bush fire danger. Homes are not designed to withstand a fire under these conditions.”
Catastrophic conditions are equivalent to the conditions of Black Saturday, Australia’s deadliest bushfire, when 173 people died.
This is a blistering editorial here from Tasmania’s the Examiner, Launceston’s daily paper.
The regional paper is drawing the links between climate change and bushfires, and singling out Scott Morrison’s “thoughts and prayers” comments directly. A few quotes:
In Brisbane:
In Brisbane:
Smith says helicopters had to be grounded earlier today due to thick smoke obscuring visibility. He says he could not confirm how many houses had been destroyed.
Smith says helicopters had to be grounded earlier today due to thick smoke obscuring visibility. He says he could not confirm how many houses had been destroyed.
Superintendent Steve Smith from Queensland RFS is now speaking in Yeppoon.
Superintendent Steve Smith from Queensland RFS is now speaking in Yeppoon:
“Overnight we have been able to conduct some work that has helped consolidate the fire line. The fire itself is approximately 1100 hectares. Of that 1100 hectares, about 35% of that fire edge is uncontained.
The Australian climate scientist Dr Bill Hare, chief executive of Climate Analytics, has responded to the comments of the deputy PM, Michael McCormack, this morning, who dismissed links between climate change and bushfire as the “ravings” of inner city greenies.
“So with the winds that we are seeing today and have just picked up in the last hour or so, we have once again seen some fire behaviour that is becoming quite erratic and quite intense.”
Hare told me: “There’s only one word for that really – bullshit. There’s a strong and very well-established connection between climate change and wildfire risk. It’s a foreseeable risk and one we need to plan for, and reduce our emissions to limit and prevent it. His comments are wilfully ignorant and, in a nutshell, bullshit.”
Australian climate scientist Dr Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics, has responded to the comments of deputy PM Michael McCormack this morning, who dismissed links between climate change and bushfire as the “ravings” of inner city greenies.
Hare told me: “There’s only one word for that really - bullshit. There’s a strong and very well established connection between climate change and wildfire risk. It’s a foreseeable risk and one we need to plan for, and reduce our emissions to limit and prevent it. His comments are willfully ignorant and, in a nutshell, bullshit.”
NSW updates:
NSW updates:
The Toorumbee Complex fires (formerly the Jacobs Spur and Armidale Road fires) has crossed the Macleay River and Armidale Road, and is heading north-east towards Millbank and Sundown Creek.
The Toorumbee Complex fires (formerly the Jacobs Spur and Armidale Road fires) has crossed the Macleay River and Armidale Road, and is heading north-east towards Millbank and Sundown Creek.
The Coombes Gap Complex fire, west of Wauchope, is burning on both sides of the Oxley Highway around Long Flat. “The fire is spreading in multiple directions towards Ellenborough and Tilbaroo Crossing,” the RFS says.
The Coombes Gap Complex fire, west of Wauchope, is burning on both sides of the Oxley Highway around Long Flat. “The fire is spreading in multiple directions towards Ellenborough and Tilbaroo Crossing,” the RFS says.
The Washpool state forest fire near Coombadjha is still moving north towards Ewingar. “Smoke and ash is likely in the area of Baryulgil. Watch out for embers which may start spot fires ahead of the main fire front.”
The Washpool state forest fire near Coombadjha is still moving north towards Ewingar. “Smoke and ash is likely in the area of Baryulgil. Watch out for embers which may start spot fires ahead of the main fire front.”
The Hillville Road fire, south of Taree, is “spreading quickly”. It is burning in a north and easterly direction. The RFS has told residents they are conducting backburning, so “people in the area may see an increase in fire activity”.
The Hillville Road fire, south of Taree, is “spreading quickly”. It is burning in a north and easterly direction. The RFS has told residents they are conducting backburning, so “people in the area may see an increase in fire activity”.
And earlier, RFS inspector Ben Shepherd reminded us that other parts of NSW will still have “severe and extreme” dangers on Tuesday.
And earlier, RFS inspector Ben Shepherd reminded us that other parts of NSW will still have “severe and extreme” dangers on Tuesday.
The risk is all across the state, not just in the catastrophic and metro areas.
The risk is all across the state, not just in the catastrophic and metro areas.
“We need to ensure that people understand there is a risk in all bushland areas, stretching from Bega all the way to Byron, from the Victorian border to the Queensland border,” he said.
“We need to ensure that people understand there is a risk in all bushland areas, stretching from Bega all the way to Byron, from the Victorian border to the Queensland border,” he said.
A full map is below.
A full map is below.
What does Tuesday’s “catastrophic” fire rating mean – and where does it apply?
The deadliest bushfires in Australian history, the Black Saturday fires of February 2009, would have had a catastrophic rating. Those fires killed 173 people.
Put simply, the NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, said the rating means “it’s where people die”.
The catastrophic rating was introduced in 2009, and this is the first time it has been declared for Sydney. But Fitzsimmons said he could not ever remember worse conditions for Sydney.
Affected areas are:
The Hunter: Cessnock, Dungog, Lake Macquarie, Singleton and the Upper Hunter.
North and north-west: Camden, central coast, the Hills, Hawkesbury, Hunters Hill, Ku-ring-gai, Lane Cove, Mosman, North Sydney, northern beaches, Ryde, Willoughby.
Sydney west and inner west: Burwood, Canada Bay, Strathfield, Blacktown, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Liverpool, Parramatta Penrith, Sydney (includes some inner west suburbs).
Sydney east: Randwick, Waverley, Woollahra.
South and south-west: Georges River, Kogarah, Sutherland.
In Queensland, an update on the Rosevale fire near Ipswich.
The fire is still at watch and act, with residents being told to prepare to leave.
Qld RFS says: “A large fire is burning to the south of Baker Road, Kerwitz Road and Kelly and Dwyer Road, Rosevale. It is travelling in a north, north-easterly direction and is likely to impact Baker Road, Kerwitz Road, Kelly and Dwyer Road, Rosevale later today.”
An evacuation centre is open at Harrisville school of arts, Hall Street, Harrisville.
At 12pm AEDT, 11am AEST.
In NSW:
NSW has declared a state of emergency for seven days, as Greater Sydney and the Great Hunter face “catastrophic” conditions on Tuesday.
The premier, Gladys Berejiklian, said this was necessary to save lives.
This is the first time a “catastrophic” warning has been issued for Sydney, and the conditions have been likened to Black Saturday.
Up to 60 fires are now burning, with 40 not contained. Ten are at watch and act.
970,000 hectares have been burnt – nearly as much as the last three fire seasons combined
Since Friday, three people have died and 100 have been injured, including 20 fire fighters.
150 homes have been destroyed.
In Queensland:
47 fires are burning across the state.
Three are of major concern: Cobraball near Yeppoon, Cooroibah on the Sunshine Coast and Thornton in the Lockyer Valley.
Seven fires are at watch and act, with residents told to prepare to leave.
11,000 hectares have burnt in central Queensland alone.
More than a dozen homes have been destroyed.
In Queensland, three fires – Duingal near Gin Gin, Kilcoy Beerwah Road near Stanmore and Mount Stuart – are burning but now pose no threat to property.
NSW Ambulance has issued the following health warning for those affected:
People with any respiratory issues or who are particularly vulnerable can be the first to feel the effects of smoke which may aggravate their existing condition. Even healthy adults and children can be impacted by the effects of heavy smoke which can result in lung irritation.
These conditions can have a serious impact on your health and it is important to remember that our bodies have to work extra hard to cope or cool down. Ensure you stay hydrated and pay particular attention to any symptoms (dizziness, headaches, racing pulse or nausea) of heat-related illness.
Be aware of potential hazards such as embers, falling debris, damage to surroundings and reduced visibility which can cause injury. Paramedics are urging people in fire-affected areas to wear any form of eyewear and loose clothing to cover your skin to assist in reducing any incidental injury.
NSW Ambulance recommends if anyone sustains any form of burn they should cool the affected area immediately with water – ideally running water – for a minimum of 20 minutes (for eyes ensure you flush the eye) and seek medical attention.
We need people to really take care of themselves. If you have a pre-existing medical condition make sure you have all your medications with you and readily available at all times.
Dramatic footage from Yeppoon in Queensland. This is part of the Cobraball, Bungundarra, Maryvale and Lake Mary fire, as named by the Queensland RFS.
The fire is currently at watch and act and residents have been told to prepare to leave.
As of 8am AEST, the RFS said the fire was travelling from Cobraball towards Bungundarra, Maryvale and Lake Mary.
“The fire is currently impacting Mount Lizard, east of Evans Road, south of Mapes Road, south of Ingrey Road, east of Serpentine Road and north of Cobraball Road. The fire is expected to have a significant impact on the community.”
The University of Newcastle has closed all campuses tomorrow, apart from Newcastle city and Sydney.
As of 11.20 AEDT, here’s the latest on the bushfires across NSW and Queensland:
60 fires burning in NSW, and 47 across Queensland.
At least 150 homes destroyed in NSW – with that expected to rise.
970,000 hectares burnt in NSW, nearly as much as the last three fire seasons combined.
Greens MP Adam Bandt has also responded to deputy PM Michael McCormack’s comments that the link between climate change and worsening bushfires was “woke capital-city greenies ravings”.
Bandt said McCormack was “a dangerous fool”.
Dael Allison is from the tiny NSW town of Bobin, north-west of Taree.
“Bobin is shocking,” she says. “Bobin is devastated. There would be entire hillsides that wouldn’t have a tree standing.”
Allison drove with her partner, Rick Haughton, and son from Port Stephens to Bobin on Sunday to check on friends and on their property, where they grow eucalypts.
The main house is still standing, but sheds, the original cottage they built and that their children spent the first years of their lives in, and most of the land are burnt out.
“We’ve had fires but I’ve never seen anything like this,” Allison says. “I’ve never seen fires that come right down to the water level of the creek. “I don’t know where fire crews are getting their water from.”
Allison says they made the two-and-a-half hour drive from Port Stephens where they are based because communications in the Bobin area have been down.
“One of the reasons we went up there was so that we could talk to friends and check if they were OK and let their families know. People assume when there’s no communication the worst has happened. But all the phone lines are down.
“The whole area is just on fire. At least a dozen people I know have lost houses. That would be nowhere near the final count.”
