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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2019/nov/13/nsw-fires-qld-bushfires-queensland-australia-new-south-wales-rural-fire-live-news-latest-updates-queensland
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| NSW and Qld fires updates: water-bombing helicopter crash-lands at bushfires west of Brisbane – live | NSW and Qld fires updates: water-bombing helicopter crash-lands at bushfires west of Brisbane – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Catastrophic fire conditions in New South Wales ease, but dozens of Australian bushfires remain burning. In Queensland, 60 fires are burning, with strong winds and temperatures in mid-30s forecast to make for hazardous conditions on Australia’s east coast | Catastrophic fire conditions in New South Wales ease, but dozens of Australian bushfires remain burning. In Queensland, 60 fires are burning, with strong winds and temperatures in mid-30s forecast to make for hazardous conditions on Australia’s east coast |
| Some new images showing spot fires breaking out at Hillville today. | |
| The RFS has just issued a new emergency warning for the fire. | |
| The NSW Rural Fire Service has issued the first emergency warning for NSW for Wednesday for a fire at Hillville Road, Hillville on the mid-north coast. | |
| The New South Wales parliament had been set this week to debate legislation that would try to stop planning authorities from blocking coal and gas developments because of their scope 3 emissions. | |
| Environment groups had called for the debate to be postponed given the bushfire disaster in NSW and a protest was held outside the parliament in Sydney on Tuesday. | |
| It now looks like that legislation will be debated in the lower house next week. The one-week delay means it is unlikely to be debated by the legislative council until next year. | |
| A short inquiry will be held into the bill over the summer break. | |
| Back in NSW: | Back in NSW: |
| Brad Edge is a resident of Congarinni on the mid-north coast of NSW. We spoke to him on Monday when fires were threatening his property. He and his family had been evacuated from several different locations. | |
| On Wednesday he said the situation has not improved and his house remained under threat. Containment lines had been put in on his property. | |
| “The fire has broken the containment lines,” he said. | |
| “So now the RFS is backburning. They’re going to burn about 40 acres of bush. | “So now the RFS is backburning. They’re going to burn about 40 acres of bush. |
| “You can see it from the house now. | “You can see it from the house now. |
| “The closer it gets and the hotter it burns, it’s harder to control. But I hope it’s controlled.” | “The closer it gets and the hotter it burns, it’s harder to control. But I hope it’s controlled.” |
| Edge has spent the day helping a friend prepare his property, which is now also threatened. | Edge has spent the day helping a friend prepare his property, which is now also threatened. |
| “As they say, this won’t be over for quite a while,” he said. | |
| The mayor of Toowoomba, Paul Antonio, was speaking live to ABC News 24 when word came through a water-bombing helicopter had crashed in the area. | The mayor of Toowoomba, Paul Antonio, was speaking live to ABC News 24 when word came through a water-bombing helicopter had crashed in the area. |
| The Queensland Ambulance Service is calling it a “heavy landing” and says the pilot has minor injuries. | The Queensland Ambulance Service is calling it a “heavy landing” and says the pilot has minor injuries. |
| Residents of Pechey and Hampton, to the north of Toowoomba, have been told to leave their properties with the fire front approaching. | Residents of Pechey and Hampton, to the north of Toowoomba, have been told to leave their properties with the fire front approaching. |
| Antonio said he wasn’t aware, but was thankful to the fixed-wing and helicopter pilots who were helping to fight the fires. | Antonio said he wasn’t aware, but was thankful to the fixed-wing and helicopter pilots who were helping to fight the fires. |
| “Our thoughts are with all concerned and we are looking forward to it working out the right way,” he said. | “Our thoughts are with all concerned and we are looking forward to it working out the right way,” he said. |
| “There was three aeroplanes and a number of helicopters involved [because] parts of this fire are in inaccessible country. | “There was three aeroplanes and a number of helicopters involved [because] parts of this fire are in inaccessible country. |
| “The fire is well resourced.” | “The fire is well resourced.” |
| An update on the pilot involved in the helicopter crash. The ABC is reporting the pilot has survived. | An update on the pilot involved in the helicopter crash. The ABC is reporting the pilot has survived. |
| The Queensland Ambulance Service is calling it a heavy landing, rather than a crash, and says the pilot is being treated for minor injuries. | The Queensland Ambulance Service is calling it a heavy landing, rather than a crash, and says the pilot is being treated for minor injuries. |
| Some breaking news: | Some breaking news: |
| The ABC is reporting a water-bombing helicopter has crashed while fighting a fire at Pechey on the Darling Downs, west of Brisbane. | The ABC is reporting a water-bombing helicopter has crashed while fighting a fire at Pechey on the Darling Downs, west of Brisbane. |
| The Queensland Ambulance Service and the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services are responding, a QFES spokesman said. | The Queensland Ambulance Service and the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services are responding, a QFES spokesman said. |
| “QFES is seeking further clarification regarding the condition of the pilot,” he said. | “QFES is seeking further clarification regarding the condition of the pilot,” he said. |
| More than 70 fires continue to burn across NSW, and 61 across Queensland. | More than 70 fires continue to burn across NSW, and 61 across Queensland. |
| Conditions eased compared to the catastrophic danger ratings in NSW yesterday, but worsened in Queensland. | Conditions eased compared to the catastrophic danger ratings in NSW yesterday, but worsened in Queensland. |
| In Queensland: | In Queensland: |
| An emergency “leave immediately” warning was issued for Noosa North Shore. | An emergency “leave immediately” warning was issued for Noosa North Shore. |
| Five “leave now” warnings were issued: Pechey, Woodgate/Walkers Point, Kinkuna Waters, Kilkivan, and Spicers Peak Lodge. | Five “leave now” warnings were issued: Pechey, Woodgate/Walkers Point, Kinkuna Waters, Kilkivan, and Spicers Peak Lodge. |
| Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed 14 homes had been lost, 13 of them in the Cobraball fire near Yeppoon. | Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed 14 homes had been lost, 13 of them in the Cobraball fire near Yeppoon. |
| Severe conditions were declared for Wide Bay and Burnett, Darling Downs and Granite Belt and the Southeast Coast. | Severe conditions were declared for Wide Bay and Burnett, Darling Downs and Granite Belt and the Southeast Coast. |
| In NSW: | In NSW: |
| Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she was relieved no lives were lost yesterday. | Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she was relieved no lives were lost yesterday. |
| 21 people were injured yesterday – 13 of them firefighters and eight members of the public. None of the injuries were life-threatening. | 21 people were injured yesterday – 13 of them firefighters and eight members of the public. None of the injuries were life-threatening. |
| At least 50 homes were damaged or destroyed yesterday. | At least 50 homes were damaged or destroyed yesterday. |
| There were 2,000 calls to triple zero yesterday. | There were 2,000 calls to triple zero yesterday. |
| NSW RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said that coordination had “never been better” than yesterday in fighting the fires. | NSW RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said that coordination had “never been better” than yesterday in fighting the fires. |
| But he warned that we still had “the worst of the summer ahead of us” and that “the science is suggesting, and we are experiencing, that fire seasons are starting earlier and are extending longer”. | But he warned that we still had “the worst of the summer ahead of us” and that “the science is suggesting, and we are experiencing, that fire seasons are starting earlier and are extending longer”. |
| Today, severe conditions were declared for New England. | Today, severe conditions were declared for New England. |
| An update on the Noosa North Shore fire, which is still at emergency and still at “leave immediately”. | An update on the Noosa North Shore fire, which is still at emergency and still at “leave immediately”. |
| “The fire may soon impact the Wallaby Track so residents on Noosa North Shore are advised to leave immediately. The fire is expected to have a significant impact on the community. | “The fire may soon impact the Wallaby Track so residents on Noosa North Shore are advised to leave immediately. The fire is expected to have a significant impact on the community. |
| People leaving the area should take the Noosa River Ferry to Moorindil Street. An evacuation centre has been established at the Noosa Leisure Centre on Wallace Drive. | People leaving the area should take the Noosa River Ferry to Moorindil Street. An evacuation centre has been established at the Noosa Leisure Centre on Wallace Drive. |
| Queensland Fire and Emergency Services has issued a new and separate warning for Kinkuna Waters, near the existing Woodgate/Walkers Point Road fire, which is also at “leave now”. | Queensland Fire and Emergency Services has issued a new and separate warning for Kinkuna Waters, near the existing Woodgate/Walkers Point Road fire, which is also at “leave now”. |
| “A fast-moving bushfire is burning near Woodgate Road and Woppis Road, travelling towards Kinkuna Waters Estate,” QFES say. “Residents in Kinkuna Waters Estate should evacuate west on Woodgate Road towards Goodwood. | “A fast-moving bushfire is burning near Woodgate Road and Woppis Road, travelling towards Kinkuna Waters Estate,” QFES say. “Residents in Kinkuna Waters Estate should evacuate west on Woodgate Road towards Goodwood. |
| “There is a separate warning current for residents in Woodgate/Walkers Point Road. Residents in this area should follow instructions given in that warning.” | “There is a separate warning current for residents in Woodgate/Walkers Point Road. Residents in this area should follow instructions given in that warning.” |
| This is what a watch and act fire looks like. | This is what a watch and act fire looks like. |
| This photo from Monday, taken by a Nasa satellite, shows the smoke all along the coast. | This photo from Monday, taken by a Nasa satellite, shows the smoke all along the coast. |
| Police are also investigating 12 fires for potential arson, according to AAP. | Police are also investigating 12 fires for potential arson, according to AAP. |
| Those include three fires in Balgownie near Wollongong and four fires throughout Morisset near Lake Macquarie. | Those include three fires in Balgownie near Wollongong and four fires throughout Morisset near Lake Macquarie. |
| They are also looking at suspicious fires in Sydney’s South Turramurra, at Loftus in the Royal national park, at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, at Wollongong’s Berkeley and at Moonbi near Tamworth. | They are also looking at suspicious fires in Sydney’s South Turramurra, at Loftus in the Royal national park, at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, at Wollongong’s Berkeley and at Moonbi near Tamworth. |
| Five men have been caught today breaching the state’s total fire ban, AAP reports. | Five men have been caught today breaching the state’s total fire ban, AAP reports. |
| One man allegedly resisted arrest when he was caught lighting candles at a Campbelltown campsite. Others were lighting barbecues and incinerating rubbish. | One man allegedly resisted arrest when he was caught lighting candles at a Campbelltown campsite. Others were lighting barbecues and incinerating rubbish. |
| Two men have also been charged after being found with allegedly stolen RFS equipment. The first man was allegedly found with an RFS uniform and documentation in Lismore, northern NSW, and the second man was found in Loftus impersonating a firefighter and wearing a Fire and Rescue NSW uniform. | Two men have also been charged after being found with allegedly stolen RFS equipment. The first man was allegedly found with an RFS uniform and documentation in Lismore, northern NSW, and the second man was found in Loftus impersonating a firefighter and wearing a Fire and Rescue NSW uniform. |
| Some footage of a spot fire from Hillville, from Jessica Hromas and Michael McGowan on the scene. | Some footage of a spot fire from Hillville, from Jessica Hromas and Michael McGowan on the scene. |
| Smoke alert for Mackay: | Smoke alert for Mackay: |
| Residents of Pechey (near Hampton) have been told to leave now, and head towards the New England Highway. | Residents of Pechey (near Hampton) have been told to leave now, and head towards the New England Highway. |
| “There is a bushfire in Pechey and Hampton and conditions are getting worse,” the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service says. “A fast moving fire is travelling from Grapetree Road towards Deeth Road, Sewell Road, Parker Road, Bush Road and Misty Mountain Road. It is currently impacting Parker Road and Sewell Road. The fire could have a significant impact on the community.” | “There is a bushfire in Pechey and Hampton and conditions are getting worse,” the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service says. “A fast moving fire is travelling from Grapetree Road towards Deeth Road, Sewell Road, Parker Road, Bush Road and Misty Mountain Road. It is currently impacting Parker Road and Sewell Road. The fire could have a significant impact on the community.” |