This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2019/dec/21/australia-bushfires-catastrophic-conditions-declared-for-nsw-after-horror-day

The article has changed 27 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 18 Version 19
Australia fires live: NSW town of Lithgow under threat as RFS warns of bushfire-generated thunderstorms – latest updates Australia fires live: NSW town of Lithgow under threat as RFS warns of bushfire-generated thunderstorms – latest updates
(32 minutes later)
Emergency fire warnings have been issued for parts of NSW, including Greater Sydney, Victoria and South Australia, and the Australian weather forecast is for extreme temperaturesEmergency fire warnings have been issued for parts of NSW, including Greater Sydney, Victoria and South Australia, and the Australian weather forecast is for extreme temperatures
You can see in this 7News report how the strong winds are carrying the fire over Bells Line of Road in Bilpin.
New South Wales RFS is reporting one person unaccounted for in the Dargan area near Lithgow.
The strong southerly change Luke mentioned before is making its way across Sydney. But while it is leading to a quick drop in temperatures, it will cause the fires to behave erratically.The strong southerly change Luke mentioned before is making its way across Sydney. But while it is leading to a quick drop in temperatures, it will cause the fires to behave erratically.
My colleague Jessica Hromas is out at the fires in Kurrajong.My colleague Jessica Hromas is out at the fires in Kurrajong.
ABC is reporting at least five homes in Lithgow have been destroyed. We have not confirmed this yet.ABC is reporting at least five homes in Lithgow have been destroyed. We have not confirmed this yet.
An emergency warning has been issued for Brookville in Victoria.An emergency warning has been issued for Brookville in Victoria.
The bushfire at Barmouth Spur is travelling northerly towards Brookville and embers are falling in Brookville, threatening homes.The bushfire at Barmouth Spur is travelling northerly towards Brookville and embers are falling in Brookville, threatening homes.
Josh Taylor here, taking over for Luke as we head into the evening.Josh Taylor here, taking over for Luke as we head into the evening.
The bushfires are creating thunderstorms at the Currowan and Tianjara fires in the Shoalhaven, which is just awful.The bushfires are creating thunderstorms at the Currowan and Tianjara fires in the Shoalhaven, which is just awful.
My colleague Graham Redfearn wrote about this phenomena yesterday. Graham explained that scientists are afraid the climate crisis will lead to a surge of these violent thunderstorms, known as PyroCBs.My colleague Graham Redfearn wrote about this phenomena yesterday. Graham explained that scientists are afraid the climate crisis will lead to a surge of these violent thunderstorms, known as PyroCBs.
Blackheath resident Robert Smith told the Guardian how he left his home in the town after the fires neared.
Here is a look at the water bombing effort Mike Bowers relayed to me earlier.
Guardian Australia photographer Mike Bowers tells me crews at Yanderra, south of Bargo, have been keeping conditions at bay there. Five or six water bombers have been dumping repeatedly deluge after deluge as they fight to protect homes.
For those of you outside of New South Wales, Lithgow is a town of about 12,000 people in the Central Tablelands region of the state. It’s about two hours’ drive west of Sydney.
More from out of Lithgow from the local paper, the Bathurst Bulletin.
And the RFS posted this earlier.