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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, 80 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, 80 fires are burning, with strong winds and temperatures in mid-30s forecast to make for hazardous conditions on Australia’s east coast |
| Another alert for the Pechey fire in Queensland. Leave immediately. | |
| Conditions have eased at the Hillville Road fire in NSW. The fire has been downgraded to watch and act. | |
| There have been a rising number of “leave now” or “leave immediately” warnings in Queensland in the last hour: | There have been a rising number of “leave now” or “leave immediately” warnings in Queensland in the last hour: |
| Kilkivan | Kilkivan |
| Noosa North Shore | Noosa North Shore |
| Buxton (part of Woodgate/Walkers Point fire) | Buxton (part of Woodgate/Walkers Point fire) |
| Pechey (near Hampton) | Pechey (near Hampton) |
| Woodgate/Walkers Point Road | Woodgate/Walkers Point Road |
| Kinkuna Waters (part of Woodgate/Walkers Point Road fire) | Kinkuna Waters (part of Woodgate/Walkers Point Road fire) |
| Woodgate/Walkers Point Road (south of Bundaberg) grass fire | Woodgate/Walkers Point Road (south of Bundaberg) grass fire |
| You can find the full details of each warning here on the QFES Facebook page. | You can find the full details of each warning here on the QFES Facebook page. |
| Queensland firefighters say the Kilkivan fire could reach Thornside Road and Upper Thornside Road soon. | Queensland firefighters say the Kilkivan fire could reach Thornside Road and Upper Thornside Road soon. |
| A bit more detail is filtering through about the helicopter incident on the Darling Downs, near one of the state’s most concerning bushfires. | A bit more detail is filtering through about the helicopter incident on the Darling Downs, near one of the state’s most concerning bushfires. |
| Most concerning is that the Pechey fire appeared to breach containment lines after the incident. It is not yet clear whether other aerial operations were suspended temporarily as a result. | Most concerning is that the Pechey fire appeared to breach containment lines after the incident. It is not yet clear whether other aerial operations were suspended temporarily as a result. |
| About 2pm the aircraft – a private water-bombing helicopter run by McDermott Aviation – got into trouble while attempting to land near Grapetree Road. | About 2pm the aircraft – a private water-bombing helicopter run by McDermott Aviation – got into trouble while attempting to land near Grapetree Road. |
| It came down hard – though there remains some conjecture about whether it constituted a “crash landing” or just a rough landing. The pilot, in his 70s, has been taken to hospital in a stable condition, but will likely be OK. Queensland Ambulance earlier described his injuries as minor. | It came down hard – though there remains some conjecture about whether it constituted a “crash landing” or just a rough landing. The pilot, in his 70s, has been taken to hospital in a stable condition, but will likely be OK. Queensland Ambulance earlier described his injuries as minor. |
| Some aerial images have come in via an ABC journalist of the helicopter. Certainly looks nasty. | Some aerial images have come in via an ABC journalist of the helicopter. Certainly looks nasty. |
| And here is a photo from South Turramurra yesterday: | And here is a photo from South Turramurra yesterday: |
| An update on the South Turramurra fire: | An update on the South Turramurra fire: |
| The Ku-ring-gai mayor, Jennifer Anderson, has slammed potential arson in South Turramurra as an “almost unimaginable” act during Tuesday’s catastrophic fire conditions on Sydney’s upper north shore. | The Ku-ring-gai mayor, Jennifer Anderson, has slammed potential arson in South Turramurra as an “almost unimaginable” act during Tuesday’s catastrophic fire conditions on Sydney’s upper north shore. |
| Police are investigating whether multiple fires in bushland around South Turramurra were deliberately lit on Tuesday afternoon. One fire, in dense bush off Canoon Road, came within metres of homes. | Police are investigating whether multiple fires in bushland around South Turramurra were deliberately lit on Tuesday afternoon. One fire, in dense bush off Canoon Road, came within metres of homes. |
| It was stopped by an intense firefighting effort involving water bombing with a pink-coloured fire retardant. Anderson told the Guardian the cause of the fire was still being investigated by police. | It was stopped by an intense firefighting effort involving water bombing with a pink-coloured fire retardant. Anderson told the Guardian the cause of the fire was still being investigated by police. |
| “As mayor it seems almost unimaginable that someone would put our community in such danger,” she said. | “As mayor it seems almost unimaginable that someone would put our community in such danger,” she said. |
| “With the total fire ban still in place, we ask residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity near bushland to police.” | “With the total fire ban still in place, we ask residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity near bushland to police.” |
| NSW police said they had no update on the status of their investigation. Many homes in Turramurra were still coated with a pink layer of fire retardant on Wednesday. | NSW police said they had no update on the status of their investigation. Many homes in Turramurra were still coated with a pink layer of fire retardant on Wednesday. |
| The chemicals are essentially fertilisers (ammonium and diammonium sulphate and ammonium phosphate) mixed with a red-coloured pigment, made from iron oxide. | The chemicals are essentially fertilisers (ammonium and diammonium sulphate and ammonium phosphate) mixed with a red-coloured pigment, made from iron oxide. |
| Firefighters use the pigment so they can see where retardant has already been deployed. | Firefighters use the pigment so they can see where retardant has already been deployed. |
| The council is cleaning the chemicals off at no extra charge. The clean-up is expected to take several days. | The council is cleaning the chemicals off at no extra charge. The clean-up is expected to take several days. |
| Some new images showing spot fires breaking out at Hillville today. | Some new images showing spot fires breaking out at Hillville today. |
| The RFS has just issued a new emergency warning for the fire. | 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 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | “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. | “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. |