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| NSW fires: Gospers Mountain fire rages towards Mount Piper power station – live | NSW fires: Gospers Mountain fire rages towards Mount Piper power station – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Severe to extreme heatwave is sweeping across Australia as firefighters continue to battle multiple bushfires in New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland. Follow all the latest updates | Severe to extreme heatwave is sweeping across Australia as firefighters continue to battle multiple bushfires in New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland. Follow all the latest updates |
| The most recent update from QLD’s fire service on this Gregory River fire is from about two hours ago, but it is at a watch and act level with residents told to be ready to activate their fire plan. | |
| Local ABC reporter Johanna Marie reports the Bruce Highway has been closed between Bundaberg and Childers. | |
| At the moment there are no emergency level fires, despite the continuing seriousness of the crisis. | |
| In NSW there are about 100 fires burning at advice level. | |
| In Queensland there are three fires at watch and act, and five at advice level. | |
| In Western Australia there are 15 at advice level fires. | |
| In Victoria eight fires are at advice level. | |
| In South Australia firefighters have contained a grass fire at Myponga, but warnings are still current. | |
| A reminder that “heatwaves are Australia’s deadliest severe weather” with this outlook from the Bureau of Meteorology yesterday at the start of what it’s calling a week of “exceptional heat”. | A reminder that “heatwaves are Australia’s deadliest severe weather” with this outlook from the Bureau of Meteorology yesterday at the start of what it’s calling a week of “exceptional heat”. |
| It’s likely to break numerous December and all-time temperature records across the country, and we might even top Australia’s warmest day on record (7 January 2013) which had 40.3 C as a nationwide average. | It’s likely to break numerous December and all-time temperature records across the country, and we might even top Australia’s warmest day on record (7 January 2013) which had 40.3 C as a nationwide average. |
| Here’s a very quick wrap-up of what we’re looking at, and it’s not good news, with maps showing a lot of purple (a new colour they had to add to the temperature guidelines in recent years). | Here’s a very quick wrap-up of what we’re looking at, and it’s not good news, with maps showing a lot of purple (a new colour they had to add to the temperature guidelines in recent years). |
| Former fire commissioner Greg Mullins and a number of former emergency service heads held a press conference a short time ago, addressing the nation on the bushfire crisis “and the leadership vacuum in Canberra”. | Former fire commissioner Greg Mullins and a number of former emergency service heads held a press conference a short time ago, addressing the nation on the bushfire crisis “and the leadership vacuum in Canberra”. |
| “Here in NSW the fires are totally unprecedented,” he said. “More country has been burned, three times more homes lost than our worst previous fire season in history, and the fires are still burning. We have a heatwave coming. Who knows what that will do, and the driving force behind this is climate change.” | “Here in NSW the fires are totally unprecedented,” he said. “More country has been burned, three times more homes lost than our worst previous fire season in history, and the fires are still burning. We have a heatwave coming. Who knows what that will do, and the driving force behind this is climate change.” |
| Mullins said the prime minister had declined their repeated requests to meet. | Mullins said the prime minister had declined their repeated requests to meet. |
| They have met ministers David Littleproud and Angus Taylor and given them a list of suggestions. They’re confident of a response, Mullins says. | They have met ministers David Littleproud and Angus Taylor and given them a list of suggestions. They’re confident of a response, Mullins says. |
| “However, it falls to us because of that leadership vacuum to call an emergency bushfire summit after this summer. When the experts, the firefighters, are available and taking a well-earned rest. We don’t know when that will be. Normally it would be March but it might be April, it might be May.” | “However, it falls to us because of that leadership vacuum to call an emergency bushfire summit after this summer. When the experts, the firefighters, are available and taking a well-earned rest. We don’t know when that will be. Normally it would be March but it might be April, it might be May.” |
| Mullins says he wants to see farmers, health professionals, Indigenous people, firefighters, people from the military and politicians from all levels of government at the summit. | Mullins says he wants to see farmers, health professionals, Indigenous people, firefighters, people from the military and politicians from all levels of government at the summit. |
| “It’s no good saying we’re only a small emitter of carbon dioxide,” he said. “It’s simply not true. Amongst about 200 countries, we’re number 17. When we add in the coal we sell to other countries we come up to about number five. | “It’s no good saying we’re only a small emitter of carbon dioxide,” he said. “It’s simply not true. Amongst about 200 countries, we’re number 17. When we add in the coal we sell to other countries we come up to about number five. |
| “We have no moral leadership as we saw in Madrid. The bushfires weren’t even mentioned. Other countries were aghast.” | “We have no moral leadership as we saw in Madrid. The bushfires weren’t even mentioned. Other countries were aghast.” |
| The lovely year six kids at Windsor public school have donated their annual fundraising to the RFS. | The lovely year six kids at Windsor public school have donated their annual fundraising to the RFS. |
| We previously reported the RFS is confident it will be able to keep the Mount Piper power station safe but was a little more concerned about the fire’s proximity to the Springvale coalmine. | We previously reported the RFS is confident it will be able to keep the Mount Piper power station safe but was a little more concerned about the fire’s proximity to the Springvale coalmine. |
| Jamie Hanson, head of campaigns at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, has raised comparisons with Victoria’s Hazelwood mine fire in 2014 which emitted dangerous toxic fumes after it caught alight from a nearby bushfire. | Jamie Hanson, head of campaigns at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, has raised comparisons with Victoria’s Hazelwood mine fire in 2014 which emitted dangerous toxic fumes after it caught alight from a nearby bushfire. |
| “These chemicals are extremely toxic and dangerous to communities and families, but especially the Australians most vulnerable to health impacts, such as children and the elderly,” he said. | “These chemicals are extremely toxic and dangerous to communities and families, but especially the Australians most vulnerable to health impacts, such as children and the elderly,” he said. |
| “New South Wales is already in the grips of an air pollution crisis from these bushfires, and if a coalmine and coal power station are ignited as a result of this bushfire emergency, the health risks to Australians are extremely high.” | “New South Wales is already in the grips of an air pollution crisis from these bushfires, and if a coalmine and coal power station are ignited as a result of this bushfire emergency, the health risks to Australians are extremely high.” |
| It’s a smoky day for Canberra again. A reminder that NSW Health’s advice is that vulnerable people – the young, elderly and those with respiratory conditions – should stay indoors, avoid exercise and minimise exposure as much as possible. | It’s a smoky day for Canberra again. A reminder that NSW Health’s advice is that vulnerable people – the young, elderly and those with respiratory conditions – should stay indoors, avoid exercise and minimise exposure as much as possible. |
| This was taken today at Sydney’s Central Station and shows masks for sale. But remember, only a few styles work. | This was taken today at Sydney’s Central Station and shows masks for sale. But remember, only a few styles work. |
| Sad news from the Mount Tomah botanic gardens in the Blue Mountains, which were affected by the Gospers Mountain fire. | Sad news from the Mount Tomah botanic gardens in the Blue Mountains, which were affected by the Gospers Mountain fire. |
| The director of horticulture says “most of the 186-hectare conservation area burned”. | The director of horticulture says “most of the 186-hectare conservation area burned”. |
| The RFS says it is “concerned” about the potential for the huge Gospers Mountain fire to reach the Springvale coalmine, and the nearby Mount Piper power station. | The RFS says it is “concerned” about the potential for the huge Gospers Mountain fire to reach the Springvale coalmine, and the nearby Mount Piper power station. |
| It was reported earlier that the fire was 6km from the power station but the RFS is confident the station will be safe. | It was reported earlier that the fire was 6km from the power station but the RFS is confident the station will be safe. |
| “That fire is some kilometres away [from the coalmine] but we are concerned about that,” a spokesman said. “Crews on the ground are maintaining obviously close monitoring of that fire because the last thing we need is for that to get into coal areas or worse. | “That fire is some kilometres away [from the coalmine] but we are concerned about that,” a spokesman said. “Crews on the ground are maintaining obviously close monitoring of that fire because the last thing we need is for that to get into coal areas or worse. |
| “It is a critical facility and as such fire agencies will do whatever they can to keep fire out of that area.” | “It is a critical facility and as such fire agencies will do whatever they can to keep fire out of that area.” |
| The outlook is better for the power station – the RFS says the weather is on its side. | The outlook is better for the power station – the RFS says the weather is on its side. |
| “It’s not directly under threat at the moment. The fire is still a few kilometres away from that area. Luckily it won’t get the worst of the weather because the fire is to the east of that. | “It’s not directly under threat at the moment. The fire is still a few kilometres away from that area. Luckily it won’t get the worst of the weather because the fire is to the east of that. |
| “There are a lot of units monitoring that. We are quite confident of protecting that facility.” | “There are a lot of units monitoring that. We are quite confident of protecting that facility.” |