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NSW and Qld fires: four emergency warnings issued for out-of-control bushfires – live NSW and Qld fires: six emergency warnings issued for out-of-control bushfires – 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 Queensland fire and emergency service has separately advised residents near Mount Alphen and Double Top, Tarome, and Clumber and Moogerah to prepare to leave. A fire at Carrai East, north-west of Port Macquarie, has burst containment lines and is spreading quickly. The NSW RFS has just issued an emergency warning for the fire, saying residents west of Kempsey are at risk and should not now leave their homes. They have been told to seek shelter as the fire front approaches.
It is the sixth emergency warning to be issued by the NSW RFS today.
A fifth emergency warning has been issued in NSW, this time for the Hillville Road Fire, which is spreading towards the towns of Nabiac and Faliford on the Mid North Coast. Residents are advised to seek shelter as the fire approaches.
Bushfires have reportedly forced the evacuation of eight schools in NSW’s north-west and Upper Hunter regions.
The NSW education department had already announced more than 575 school closures.
Here’s another view of that smoke haze, this time from satellite imagery. This is from the Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino.
We just mentioned the significant drops in air quality in NSW and south-east Queensland. This vision shows the thickness of the smoke haze drifting across parts of the east coast.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services has separately advised residents near Mount Alphen and Double Top, Tarome, and Clumber and Moogerah to prepare to leave.
The NSW Rural Fire Service has just issued an emergency warning for Whans Road, Llangothlin, north of Armidale and south of Glen Innes. A fire is now burning there and spreading quickly.The NSW Rural Fire Service has just issued an emergency warning for Whans Road, Llangothlin, north of Armidale and south of Glen Innes. A fire is now burning there and spreading quickly.
The RFS has advised anyone in the area of Llangothlin and its surrounds that it is now too late to leave. It has advised those in the area to seek shelter as the fire approaches.The RFS has advised anyone in the area of Llangothlin and its surrounds that it is now too late to leave. It has advised those in the area to seek shelter as the fire approaches.
This is the fourth emergency warning issued by the NSW RFS today.This is the fourth emergency warning issued by the NSW RFS today.
It’s Christopher Knaus here taking over our live coverage of the bushfire emergency from Naaman Zhou.It’s Christopher Knaus here taking over our live coverage of the bushfire emergency from Naaman Zhou.
The bushfires have caused significant deteriorations to air quality across NSW and south-east Queensland. Much of Sydney and the Hunter regions have been advised to “stay inside as much as possible” as winds push smoke from the devastating mid-north coast bushfires down the state’s east coast. A drop in air quality is also hitting the Illawarra region, south of Sydney.The bushfires have caused significant deteriorations to air quality across NSW and south-east Queensland. Much of Sydney and the Hunter regions have been advised to “stay inside as much as possible” as winds push smoke from the devastating mid-north coast bushfires down the state’s east coast. A drop in air quality is also hitting the Illawarra region, south of Sydney.
Residents in south-east Queensland are also being urged to limit their time outdoors due to air quality concerns.Residents in south-east Queensland are also being urged to limit their time outdoors due to air quality concerns.
My colleague Michael McGowan has filed a full report on air quality across NSW and Queensland here.My colleague Michael McGowan has filed a full report on air quality across NSW and Queensland here.
Earlier today, before the three emergency warnings and updates from the NSW Rural Fire Service, the Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce claimed that two people who died over the weekend were “most likely” Greens voters, as the political stoush over the fires continues.Earlier today, before the three emergency warnings and updates from the NSW Rural Fire Service, the Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce claimed that two people who died over the weekend were “most likely” Greens voters, as the political stoush over the fires continues.
The current deputy PM, Michael McCormack, had said yesterday that any link between climate change and the worsening bushfires was “woke capital-city greenies ravings” and “cheap political point scoring”.The current deputy PM, Michael McCormack, had said yesterday that any link between climate change and the worsening bushfires was “woke capital-city greenies ravings” and “cheap political point scoring”.
Joyce then said the Greens were to blame because their influence meant fire services had not conducted sufficient hazard reduction burns.Joyce then said the Greens were to blame because their influence meant fire services had not conducted sufficient hazard reduction burns.
He then told Sky News this morning: “I acknowledge that the two people who died were most likely people who voted for the Green party” but said he did not want to attack them or the Greens but focus on the policy mix.He then told Sky News this morning: “I acknowledge that the two people who died were most likely people who voted for the Green party” but said he did not want to attack them or the Greens but focus on the policy mix.
The full interview and transcript is here in our politics liveblog.The full interview and transcript is here in our politics liveblog.
Journalist Kieran Gilbert asks:Journalist Kieran Gilbert asks:
Joyce:Joyce:
Queensland’s acting fire commissioner says there are 55 fires still burning in the state, managed by more than 1,000 personnel.Queensland’s acting fire commissioner says there are 55 fires still burning in the state, managed by more than 1,000 personnel.
He says they have 40 aircraft either ready or in use, and he is “comfortable with where we are at today and how we are set in terms of our readiness”.He says they have 40 aircraft either ready or in use, and he is “comfortable with where we are at today and how we are set in terms of our readiness”.
“I’m very comfortable in terms of the work done. In saying that, with the severe conditions in the south-east this afternoon and into tonight, and tomorrow into central Queensland, those containment lines, where we’ve got them, will be tested.“I’m very comfortable in terms of the work done. In saying that, with the severe conditions in the south-east this afternoon and into tonight, and tomorrow into central Queensland, those containment lines, where we’ve got them, will be tested.
“[But] we have got resources ready for any new outbreaks.”“[But] we have got resources ready for any new outbreaks.”
Palaszczuk said air quality particle ratings were 10 times higher than usual today, stretching from Brisbane to Ipswich and the Gold Coast.Palaszczuk said air quality particle ratings were 10 times higher than usual today, stretching from Brisbane to Ipswich and the Gold Coast.
A meteorologist from the weather bureau adds there is no significant rainfall on the horizon for Queensland.A meteorologist from the weather bureau adds there is no significant rainfall on the horizon for Queensland.
The Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, has just given a press conference thanking the state’s firefighters, the defence force and the extra 110 firefighters from Tasmania, Victoria, the Northern Territory and New Zealand.
She confirms that 12 homes have been destroyed.
Fitzsimmons concludes by saying that the worst is yet to come, and the blazes will continue through the night with “no reprieve”.
“We’re going to have a long night ahead of us because this southerly is going to continue through, and those strong winds are not going to get to northern NSW until near midnight,” he says.
“Unfortunately there is no reprieve, there is no rainfall in this change.”
He adds that conditions will stay incredibly dangerous next week, and for the rest of the season.
“We’re expecting a cyclical pattern of increasing hot temperatures as we head into next week. It’s going to be a long difficult fire season, and we have got the worst of our conditions typically ahead of us.”
The next NSW update will be at 2pm AEDT.
Thankfully, there are still no new fires in the catastrophic warning areas, Shane Fitzsimmons says.
He says the weather forecast is “unfolding as was predicted”.
“The forecast indicated across the ranges, we’re going to be seeing average wind strengths across the ranges of 40 to 60km/h, gusting 70 to 90km/h throughout the afternoon.
“We’re already seeing winds up around that 40 to 50km/h and gusting over 70km/h. So they’ll continue to strengthen and build ahead of the passage of the cold front that’s moving across the state.
“And late on today, we’re expecting the southerly to start influencing and driving, a southerly buster up the coastal strip, and across the ranges and further inland.”
There are several hundreds of homes in these areas, he says, but many have already left early.
He says firefighters have been in the area, sharing advice and “guiding people about leaving and leaving early.”
For the Gulf Road fire, his message to Emmerville and Stanton is: “It’s too late to leave and they will need to seek shelter as the fire approaches.”
For the Hillville Road fire: “It’s getting closer to the Pacific Highway north of Nabiac, and the police and authorities are in the process of closing the Pacific Highway.”
Three fires are now at emergency warning, Shane Fitzsimmons says.
They are: the Thunderbolts Way fire (north of the Gloucester), the Gulf Road fire (south-west of Tenterfield), and the Hillville Road fire (south-west of Taree).
They are all existing fires in north-eastern NSW, which have been upgraded today.
The NSW RFS commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, is speaking again in Sydney now.
Moments earlier, the RFS sent out a second emergency warning for Gulf Road, Torrington.
“The fire has breached containment lines and is spreading quickly. If you are in Emmaville or Stannum, seek shelter. If you are in Deepwater, monitor conditions.”
At the same time, Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is also giving a press conference.
A southerly change is heading up the coast, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
That has the potential to cause fires to change direction, adding more uncertainty and potential spread.
Port Macquarie resident Patrick Rudd says now is the time to talk about climate change, as fires edge closer to his hometown.
The 15-year old high school student told AAP: “If now is not the time to talk about climate change, then when is?”
Rudd’s school was closed on Monday, and he said today that smoke was so thick in town “you can taste it”.
“It’s definitely very scary,” he said. “And to see it affecting my town and me personally, it feels very threatening. It feels almost like our first look at what might lie ahead. If now is not the time to talk about climate change, then when is?
“It’s not the ‘greenies’ who are politicising [the bushfires], it’s actually the firefighters and emergency services.”
Rudd was one of the local organisers of a climate strike at his school.
The first emergency warning of the day has just been issued.
A fire is burning and spreading quickly in the area of Thunderbolts Way and Nowendoc Road on the mid north coast of NSW.
“The fire is spreading quickly,” the RFS says. “If you are in the path of the fire, you are at risk.
“If you are in the Nowendoc and Mount George area, you at risk. It is too late to leave.”
Power outages have struck homes in Sydney’s north, according to AusGrid. The affected suburbs are Ryde, Gladesville, Putney and Tennyson Point.