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| Australia bushfires: total fire ban in NSW as heatwave temperatures forecast to soar – live | Australia bushfires: total fire ban in NSW as heatwave temperatures forecast to soar – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Weather records expected to fall as extreme heat moves across South Australia to Melbourne, Victoria and Sydney, New South Wales and fires continue. Follow latest updates | Weather records expected to fall as extreme heat moves across South Australia to Melbourne, Victoria and Sydney, New South Wales and fires continue. Follow latest updates |
| Sydney Water has estimated water usage is going to go up by 6.6% over summer, and has advised people to keep mindful of saving water during the drought period. | |
| On the hottest day of summer last summer, 1.919 billion litres of water was used, the equivalent of 768 Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to Sydney Water. | |
| The total daily average water use in Sydney increased by 103 million litres over summer compared to the full-year average, too, Sydney Water said. | |
| This poses a challenge now considering the drought. Sydney Water has said people should try to limit showers to four minutes, with each extra minute accounting for up to 9 litres of water. | |
| Using local swimming pools or beaches and the showers there is also another option, as well. | |
| While the drought rages on, one Queensland mayor needs water for a water skiing complex. Via AAP: | While the drought rages on, one Queensland mayor needs water for a water skiing complex. Via AAP: |
| An outback mayor said he was confident hundreds of millions litres of water would be secured to fill an enormous water skiing complex at a drought-stricken town in the new year. | |
| A 2.4km water ski circuit excavated at Barcaldine, about 1,000km north-west of Brisbane, was ready to receive the water from the Great Artesian Basin, says the mayor, Rob Chandler. | |
| He said the project, built to a standard to host state and national barefoot-skiing championships, would be a win for the community suffering through one of its worst droughts on record. | |
| Ausgrid is also reminding people to be wary of fallen power lines in bushfire-affected areas. One resident in Spencer, on the Hawkesbury River, almost walked on to a concealed fallen powerline. | Ausgrid is also reminding people to be wary of fallen power lines in bushfire-affected areas. One resident in Spencer, on the Hawkesbury River, almost walked on to a concealed fallen powerline. |
| Albanese also pointed out that Christmas pageants and concerts are being cancelled with the smoke and fire situation. | Albanese also pointed out that Christmas pageants and concerts are being cancelled with the smoke and fire situation. |
| “This is a crisis and the government is very complacent.” | “This is a crisis and the government is very complacent.” |
| Albanese said he wrote to Morrison to convene a Coag meeting on the bushfire crisis, and he said the PM’s attitude has been “nothing to see here”. | Albanese said he wrote to Morrison to convene a Coag meeting on the bushfire crisis, and he said the PM’s attitude has been “nothing to see here”. |
| “If there is nothing to see here it’s because they can’t see through the smoke coming from those fires,” he said. | “If there is nothing to see here it’s because they can’t see through the smoke coming from those fires,” he said. |
| He said volunteer firefighters had been in the field for months, giving up wages. | He said volunteer firefighters had been in the field for months, giving up wages. |
| “These are brave and courageous Australians and they deserve more support than they are getting at the moment, and that is the feedback that I have had.” | “These are brave and courageous Australians and they deserve more support than they are getting at the moment, and that is the feedback that I have had.” |
| The opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, says he isn’t going to criticise the prime minister for going on an overseas holiday (to a destination unknown) while the bushfires are raging across Australia. | The opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, says he isn’t going to criticise the prime minister for going on an overseas holiday (to a destination unknown) while the bushfires are raging across Australia. |
| “I have many criticisms of Scott Morrison, one isn’t when he chooses to go on leave with his family. People are entitled to have leave and that’s a matter for him when he takes it. | “I have many criticisms of Scott Morrison, one isn’t when he chooses to go on leave with his family. People are entitled to have leave and that’s a matter for him when he takes it. |
| “My criticism of him is about his complacency and his failure in areas like this. His failure to develop a national economic plan to deal with the sluggish economy. His failure to have a national drought strategy and his failure to have a national policy. | “My criticism of him is about his complacency and his failure in areas like this. His failure to develop a national economic plan to deal with the sluggish economy. His failure to have a national drought strategy and his failure to have a national policy. |
| “What this government is doing is essentially engaging in a victory tour since May rather than doing, on the economic front, environmental front or on the social policy front, where we’ve had an inadequate response to the interim report on aged care.” | “What this government is doing is essentially engaging in a victory tour since May rather than doing, on the economic front, environmental front or on the social policy front, where we’ve had an inadequate response to the interim report on aged care.” |
| An important reminder for when it gets very hot in Victoria today. | An important reminder for when it gets very hot in Victoria today. |
| Industry groups are calling on the Victorian government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also to ensure a fair transition for workers in those industries. | Industry groups are calling on the Victorian government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also to ensure a fair transition for workers in those industries. |
| The groups include the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Victorian head of the Australian Industry Group, Investor Group on Climate Change, the Victorian Trades Hall Council, the Victorian Council of Social Service, and Environment Victoria. | The groups include the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Victorian head of the Australian Industry Group, Investor Group on Climate Change, the Victorian Trades Hall Council, the Victorian Council of Social Service, and Environment Victoria. |
| More here, via AAP: | More here, via AAP: |
| “Climate change poses a major threat to the Victorian community, economy and each of the sectors we represent,” the group says. | “Climate change poses a major threat to the Victorian community, economy and each of the sectors we represent,” the group says. |
| “Victoria is already living with the impacts of 1C of warming above pre-industrial levels, causing more frequent and extreme droughts, bushfires and heatwaves. | “Victoria is already living with the impacts of 1C of warming above pre-industrial levels, causing more frequent and extreme droughts, bushfires and heatwaves. |
| “These events cost lives, disproportionately impact vulnerable people and communities, damage infrastructure and ecosystems, and increase costs to businesses and governments.” | “These events cost lives, disproportionately impact vulnerable people and communities, damage infrastructure and ecosystems, and increase costs to businesses and governments.” |
| The group called on the Andrews Labor government, which has already set a target of net-zero emissions by 2050, to establish an independent authority to lead the transition. | The group called on the Andrews Labor government, which has already set a target of net-zero emissions by 2050, to establish an independent authority to lead the transition. |
| Decarbonising the energy sector – the biggest contributor to Victorian emissions – “will inevitably be a priority” but should be balanced with job creation. | Decarbonising the energy sector – the biggest contributor to Victorian emissions – “will inevitably be a priority” but should be balanced with job creation. |
| Support should also be provided to communities, organisations and businesses to build resilience and adapt to new weather extremes and climatic conditions, the group says. | Support should also be provided to communities, organisations and businesses to build resilience and adapt to new weather extremes and climatic conditions, the group says. |
| Melbourne has so far been spared the smoky conditions suffered in New South Wales and the ACT, but although today is still forecast to have good air quality in Victoria there is a chance smoke from fires in East Gippsland could be blown to the outer south-eastern suburbs today. | Melbourne has so far been spared the smoky conditions suffered in New South Wales and the ACT, but although today is still forecast to have good air quality in Victoria there is a chance smoke from fires in East Gippsland could be blown to the outer south-eastern suburbs today. |
| A man and a woman were burned fighting fires in regional Queensland on Tuesday afternoon, AAP reports: | A man and a woman were burned fighting fires in regional Queensland on Tuesday afternoon, AAP reports: |
| A man in his 50s received burns to his face, neck and arms while battling a blaze at Lowmead, in the Wide Bay region, north of Brisbane, on Tuesday afternoon. | A man in his 50s received burns to his face, neck and arms while battling a blaze at Lowmead, in the Wide Bay region, north of Brisbane, on Tuesday afternoon. |
| A 60-year-old woman at the same property has burns to her face and airway, and another man in his 50s suffered respiratory problems. | A 60-year-old woman at the same property has burns to her face and airway, and another man in his 50s suffered respiratory problems. |
| All three were taken to hospital in a stable condition. | All three were taken to hospital in a stable condition. |
| Firefighters have been working overnight to try to contain the fire in Lowmead, which is part of the bigger Mount Maria fire. | Firefighters have been working overnight to try to contain the fire in Lowmead, which is part of the bigger Mount Maria fire. |
| On Wednesday morning residents were ready to leave if conditions worsened, and some who had evacuated are not yet allowed to go home. | On Wednesday morning residents were ready to leave if conditions worsened, and some who had evacuated are not yet allowed to go home. |
| That fire is burning in a south-westerly direction towards John Clifford Way. | That fire is burning in a south-westerly direction towards John Clifford Way. |
| The Queensland Rural Fire Service has also issued prepare to leave warnings for the communities of Promisedland and Pine Creek, south-west of Bundaberg. | The Queensland Rural Fire Service has also issued prepare to leave warnings for the communities of Promisedland and Pine Creek, south-west of Bundaberg. |
| Residents of the three towns have been told to go to the evacuation centre at Miriam Vale’s community hall, or towards Bundaberg if they have to leave on Wednesday. | Residents of the three towns have been told to go to the evacuation centre at Miriam Vale’s community hall, or towards Bundaberg if they have to leave on Wednesday. |
| Much of Queensland will suffer a heatwave for the rest of this week but the worst is expected in the state’s interior. | Much of Queensland will suffer a heatwave for the rest of this week but the worst is expected in the state’s interior. |