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NSW and Qld fires: Sydney region faces 'catastrophic' bushfires danger – live NSW and Qld fires: army training exercise may have started Gold Coast blaze – live
(32 minutes later)
New South Wales residents prepare for catastrophic fire conditions across Greater Sydney, Hunter and Illawarra/Shoalhaven with strong winds and high temperatures forecast as dozens of bushfires continue to burn across both Queensland and NSWNew South Wales residents prepare for catastrophic fire conditions across Greater Sydney, Hunter and Illawarra/Shoalhaven with strong winds and high temperatures forecast as dozens of bushfires continue to burn across both Queensland and NSW
The NSW education minister Sarah Mitchell has confirmed that some schools were damaged by fires yesterday, speaking to Sky News today. A NSW Ambulance spokesman also adds that since 5am, they have seen “a slightly elevated workload across the state.”
She said that, in the catastrophic fire danger areas, “all schools that might be close to bushland, close to nature reserves, they are automatically shut”. He says there were 31 instances of respiratory conditions – 17 within greater Sydney, 9 in the north of NSW and 5 in the south.
“Areas where there is high risk, we would much rather keep students out of harm’s way...we want to take that cautious approach”. “One of those conditions was directly related to a patient who no longer had their asthma reliever medication with them.
“It is very, very important that we get this message out very clearly - to fail to make a plan if you have an asthma condition or respiratory condition and not have reliever medications, this could be a deadly condition for you.
“Make a plan and get medical aid as soon as possible.”
That concludes the 11am press conference.
Around the state, there is also “greater spread potential for many of our fires”, Fitzsimmons says.
This means that many of the predictions from last night of fire spread are being exceeded. Earlier we saw fires near Port Macquarie were growing.
“Across many of the 50 fires burning in north-east New South Wales, the predictions are generally showing a greater spread potential for the fires,” Fitzsimmons says. “That’s based on the conditions and the current fire behaviour.”
On the Gosper Mountain fire and the St Albans area, Fitzsimmons says: “You’re talking a very large bushfire, burning through forested country. You’re talking about relatively isolated settlements along and up the Putty Road, the communities of Mellong, and Howes Swamp.
“The decision now is to leave now. We know the fire is building. If you haven’t already done so, now is the safest time to go.”
“The edge of the fire that’s burning is being driven by the hot, dry winds coming down the ranges and influencing the fire behaviour.”
Shane Fitzsimmons is speaking in Sydney now.
The NSW RFS commissioner says: “We are certainly starting to see an increase in fire activity … Up north, we’ve got a couple of the fires particularly that are starting to develop.”
There are gusts exceeding 70km/h in many parts of the ranges.
Closer to Sydney, the Mount Gosper fire in the Hawkesbury is likely to impact the communities of Howes Swamp and Mellong. Later today it could spread to St Albans, Upper MacDonald and areas north of Wisemans Ferry.
The Sydney protest also heard a message from Sian, a schoolgirl on the north coast, who lost her home and said the fires were unlike anything we’ve seen before.
“The fire was unstoppable,” she said. “I’ve heard from those who stayed, of walls of flame 40 metres high. It was catastrophic.
“For many of us, this is where we have lived our entire lives. Our only home has been ravaged by a firestorm. This is not normal. Never have I heard of so many houses burning down in one night. Australia is on fire, we need desperate climate action.”
Fiona and her husband Aaron lost their family home – that they built themselves – on the north coast.
“For me there has never been a better time to talk about climate change,” Fiona said.
Aaron said the communication in fire-affected areas was poor. With power out and mobile towers affected, people weren’t able to get information about the fire situation around them.
“There are people now today whose lives are at risk, and we’re talking about thoughts and prayers.”
About 1,000 protesters gathered outside Sydney’s Parliament House on Macquarie Street for a hastily convened demonstration demanding urgent climate action this morning.
Protesters carried signs reading: “Scientists were wrong: it is much worse” and “If now is not the time to talk about the climate emergency, when the hell is?”
Simon Clough, the former deputy mayor of Lismore, said fires had threatened his property for weeks and remain burning on a ridge 5km from his house.
“I’m a country person, perhaps the leader of the National party would like to know that,” he said. “But I stand with you ‘loony lefties’ or whatever it is, because climate change is real. And we are experiencing it at this moment.”
Speeches were interrupted with cheers of “Up the Fireys” and sustained cheers for the Rural Fire Service.
A report from the ABC says an army training exercise may in fact be the cause of a Gold Coast hinterland fire on Saturday that destroyed homes.
The Australian defence force declined to answer questions from the ABC, but a colonel from the Kokoda barracks conceded in a message to the local rural fire brigade that the army may be responsible.
In a Facebook message to the Lower Beechmont Rural Fire Brigade page, Colonel Arran Hassel said: “We have not formally investigated the cause of the fire, but I am conscious that we had an army unit conducting training in the east of the training area the week when the fire started.
“As a part of their training a small fire was started, burnt out an area of 3m by 3m, but we believed we had extinguished it.
“It is entirely possible that this fire reignited on Sunday 27 Oct and has led to the current fire.”
The defence force has been mobilised to provide assistance to all bushfire affected areas.
The NSW education minister, Sarah Mitchell, has confirmed that some schools were damaged by fires yesterday.
She told Sky News that in the catastrophic fire danger areas: “All schools that might be close to bushland, close to nature reserves, they are automatically shut. Areas where there is high risk, we would much rather keep students out of harm’s way ... we want to take that cautious approach.”
The commissioner of the RFS, Shane Fitzsimmons, will be giving regular updates today – on average every two hours, but more frequently during peak times.The commissioner of the RFS, Shane Fitzsimmons, will be giving regular updates today – on average every two hours, but more frequently during peak times.
We brought you the 9am update live, when he said no new fires had started in catastrophic areas. The next one is in 15 minutes.We brought you the 9am update live, when he said no new fires had started in catastrophic areas. The next one is in 15 minutes.
The updates are scheduled for: 11am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 5.30pm, 8pm – all AEDT.The updates are scheduled for: 11am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 5.30pm, 8pm – all AEDT.
Vision from Port Macquarie.Vision from Port Macquarie.
Here’s a new prediction map for the north coast. There is some significant spreading predicted around Port Macquarie, compared with last night’s expectations.Here’s a new prediction map for the north coast. There is some significant spreading predicted around Port Macquarie, compared with last night’s expectations.
A printable pdf version here.A printable pdf version here.
The latest weather observations from the Bureau of Meteorology in some of the catastrophic areas:The latest weather observations from the Bureau of Meteorology in some of the catastrophic areas:
Merriwa and Maitland airport in the Hunter are already at 30C with gusts of 32km/h and 20km/h respectively.Merriwa and Maitland airport in the Hunter are already at 30C with gusts of 32km/h and 20km/h respectively.
Nowra in the Illawarra is also above 30C, with gusts of up to 43km/h.Nowra in the Illawarra is also above 30C, with gusts of up to 43km/h.
Full NSW observations are here.Full NSW observations are here.
Here’s the latest on air quality. On the table below, PM2.5 particles are the one to watch out for.Here’s the latest on air quality. On the table below, PM2.5 particles are the one to watch out for.
Readings have surged past 300 at Newcastle and Armidale over the past 24 hours.Readings have surged past 300 at Newcastle and Armidale over the past 24 hours.
The fires have also forced the Coffs Harbour-based Rally of Australia car race, part of the World Rally Championship, to shorten what would have been a title-deciding race.The fires have also forced the Coffs Harbour-based Rally of Australia car race, part of the World Rally Championship, to shorten what would have been a title-deciding race.
The route will be shortened from 324.53km to 94.37km, with that stage used repeatedly, according to Reuters.The route will be shortened from 324.53km to 94.37km, with that stage used repeatedly, according to Reuters.
According to GoFundMe, more than $250,000 has been raised in the past 72 hours for bushfire victims and firefighters. Donations have come from more than 30 countries.According to GoFundMe, more than $250,000 has been raised in the past 72 hours for bushfire victims and firefighters. Donations have come from more than 30 countries.
The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has responded to claims from the fire brigade union that its budget has been slashed. She said claims $13m was cut from the urban firefighting budget was false, AAP reports.The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has responded to claims from the fire brigade union that its budget has been slashed. She said claims $13m was cut from the urban firefighting budget was false, AAP reports.
Fire Brigade Employees’ Union state secretary, Leighton Drury, said Fire and Rescue NSW had its budget cut by $12.9m.Fire Brigade Employees’ Union state secretary, Leighton Drury, said Fire and Rescue NSW had its budget cut by $12.9m.
The Rural Fire Service usually handles NSW bushfire-fighting efforts, but Drury said the cuts were harming the overall community response to fires.The Rural Fire Service usually handles NSW bushfire-fighting efforts, but Drury said the cuts were harming the overall community response to fires.
Berejiklian told ABC Radio that this was not true. “Whenever I’m updated at RFS, the fireys, all the agencies, are working together more closely than I’ve ever seen,” she said.Berejiklian told ABC Radio that this was not true. “Whenever I’m updated at RFS, the fireys, all the agencies, are working together more closely than I’ve ever seen,” she said.
A spokesman for the emergency services minister, David Elliott, said the $13m had been part of fire and rescue’s capital expenditure budget and was not part of recurrent FRNSW funding.A spokesman for the emergency services minister, David Elliott, said the $13m had been part of fire and rescue’s capital expenditure budget and was not part of recurrent FRNSW funding.
This morning a snap rally was held outside NSW parliament calling for increased emergency funding to fire services and action on the climate crisis.This morning a snap rally was held outside NSW parliament calling for increased emergency funding to fire services and action on the climate crisis.
Some newer figures: 57 fires, 28 uncontained. The weather is still on track for the predicted conditions.
There are 54 fires burning in NSW, 26 of them uncontained, 13 of them at watch and act.
“For the rest of the day, we really need people to stay alert, stay informed, and stay safe and act in accordance with your plan and the advice that might be given out throughout the day,” Shane Fitzsimmons says.
There are no new fires yet in any of the catastrophic areas, Shane Fitzsimmons says.
“We still have, though, these fires burning up in northern NSW, which are starting to increase in activity, and we’re getting reports of some fire spread particularly in the fires further up in the northern areas of NSW,” he says.
“There’s been a number of tactical backburning operations.”
The NSW RFS commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, is speaking in Sydney now.
“We are starting to see an increase in the wind speeds, especially in the ranges,” he says. “We are expecting those to continue to strengthen from 10 to 11 o’clock late morning.”
“Now is the time to exercise those decisions to leave, leave early and go to safer locations, safer towns or safer places in your community such as shopping centres.”
Here is a map of those more than 100 existing fires that Stuart Ellis was mentioning.
The chief executive of the peak body for fire services, Stuart Ellis, has told Radio National today his main advice is to “get out” of fire-prone areas.
He said today was especially worrying because there are already existing, “significant” fires, even before the catastrophic conditions developed.
“We knew [Black Saturday] was coming and the potential impact of that day, and we know now that this is coming,” he said. “We have not faced many days like this and the concerning thing about today in NSW in particular and also in Queensland, is that there is already significant fire in the landscape.
“On Black Saturday there was a small number of fires in Victoria. A large number of fires developed. In NSW today there are already a large number of fires.
“The only safe place to be is somewhere else. I’m an ex-SAS officer, I’m pretty capable, but I would not consider staying at my home today because under these circumstances it is not viable. It is not safe to do so.”
The Taree Show Society has opened its grounds to people who want to camp with their dogs and horses.
“We have put some 113 horses in stables and we have set up sites for people in caravans, trucks and tents,” said the society’s Rhonda Crisp.
“We have been feeding more than 100 people in our tea rooms every night with donated food. We have showers and toilets, if you are in trouble we are more than happy to help. Though of course people are very stressed and upset.”
Casey Miller from Old Bar has been living between a borrowed truck, horse float and car in the showgrounds with her friend, their four dogs and two horses for four days: “We are OK, it is just that we’ve had to adjust and put life on pause. We don’t know when we are going home. It is going to depend [on what] is coming with hot temperatures and bad winds, it all depends on that.”
Scores of people leaving farms and acreages are paying for accommodation in motels and hotels. Glennis Cochicho, who manages Taree’s Crescent Motel, turned away between 200 to 300 people at the weekend.
“The phone has been ringing off the hook,” she said. “I’ve had to repeatedly disappoint people who I know are stranded, and it’s an awful situation.”
From a correspondent, Christine Tondorf, in Taree:
There are queues at petrol stations, schools are closed and Mid-Coast council has suspended non-essential services as fires continue to burn in the region.
At the day’s start, there were no fires at emergency levels, but the Hillville Road fire, just south of Taree, is at a watch and act level. Tuesday’s forecast is 36C and the town is covered in a haze of smoke.
Many of the 100 evacuees sheltering at the local returned services club were able to check on their homes on Monday with the reopening of key roads, including the Pacific Highway.
Not all evacuees wanted to see their properties. Linda Ross, who lives at the Purfleet caravan park, has had word that her van is not damaged but she is fearful of going home ahead of the catastrophic conditions.
“I am now just so terribly, terribly tired and, if my van burns down, I’ll get another one.”
For people on farms and acreages, Monday was also the day for deciding – stay or go. Many women, children and pets (dogs and horses) moved into town, while men chose to stay and defend.
A woman from the Hillville area, who declined to be named, arrived at the Taree showground with her two horses. “My husband is still up at the house and is going to keep an eye on everything,” she said. “He will try to protect it, if the fire comes through. He’s just like a lot of other men there.”
More on air quality – a reading for the state shows metropolitan Sydney is as high as 125 on the air quality index, which is deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups.
It’s 161 in Newcastle, which is unhealthy for all, and 174 in Armidale. Twenty-five is the World Health Organisation’s recommended safe level.