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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
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| NSW fires live updates: PM returns to Australia as bushfires destroy properties in Lithgow – latest | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Australian prime minister Scott Morrison returns from Hawaii holiday as strong winds continue to fan flames in bushfires outside Sydney. A horror day in South Australia has left two dead and 23 firefighters injured. Follow for the latest news and updates | |
| We now have three fires at emergency warning level in New South Wales: Currowan fire, Gospers Mountain fire, and Upper Turon Rd, Palmers Oaky | |
| Amid all that rain, the Green Wattle Creek fire has been downgraded to watch and act. | |
| Here’s the latest on the road closures in NSW from AAP: | |
| Transport for NSW on Saturday evening reopened the Hume Motorway between Sutton Forest and Narellan, as well as the Picton Road at the M1 and the Princes Highway between Falls Creek and north of Milton. | |
| In the Blue Mountains, the Great Western Highway earlier reopened in both directions between Katoomba and Lithgow but the Bells Line of Road and Chifley Road are closed between Kurrajong and Lithgow. | |
| Stretches of Megalong Road, Jenolan Caves Road, the Castlereagh Highway and Bowen Mountain Road remain shut. | |
| Train lines between Campbelltown and Moss Vale, to the south, and westwards between Katoomba and Bathurst have also been impacted. | |
| What a sight - rain! From Mike Bowers at the Green Wattle Creek fire near Bargo. | |
| Rain at the Green Wattle Creek fire, my colleague Mike Bowers reports. | |
| Just a sense of how close it is to Lithgow. | Just a sense of how close it is to Lithgow. |
| Daily Telegraph reporting on the locations of the six homes lost in Lithgow. | Daily Telegraph reporting on the locations of the six homes lost in Lithgow. |
| There are total fire bans in place from midnight tonight for the Northern Slopes and North Western areas of NSW. | There are total fire bans in place from midnight tonight for the Northern Slopes and North Western areas of NSW. |
| Some more photos from Kurrajong. | Some more photos from Kurrajong. |
| The flight the PM was on has landed in Sydney from Hawaii. Obviously it’ll be a while before we see anything from him. I’m guessing there will probably be journalists waiting at the airport for him. | The flight the PM was on has landed in Sydney from Hawaii. Obviously it’ll be a while before we see anything from him. I’m guessing there will probably be journalists waiting at the airport for him. |
| That strong southerly is going to continue to have a big impact on the fires as RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said earlier. It’s going to be a long night. | That strong southerly is going to continue to have a big impact on the fires as RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said earlier. It’s going to be a long night. |
| On road closures, the Great Western Highway is open. The Hume Highway is due to open in the next half an hour, and the Princes Highway is due to open soon. Victor Highway is due to open, too, but a couple of local roads, including Bells Line of Rd will remain closed. People can check Traffic Live for the most current information. | On road closures, the Great Western Highway is open. The Hume Highway is due to open in the next half an hour, and the Princes Highway is due to open soon. Victor Highway is due to open, too, but a couple of local roads, including Bells Line of Rd will remain closed. People can check Traffic Live for the most current information. |
| Meanwhile, the prime minister’s flight back from Hawaii is about to land, according to this. It’s been circling the airport because of the wind conditions in Sydney. | Meanwhile, the prime minister’s flight back from Hawaii is about to land, according to this. It’s been circling the airport because of the wind conditions in Sydney. |
| Fitzsimmons says a number of roads remain closed, but RFS will work with police to get those roads open when it is safe to do so, so people can travel. | Fitzsimmons says a number of roads remain closed, but RFS will work with police to get those roads open when it is safe to do so, so people can travel. |
| He confirms one man is missing in the Dargan area. He said firefighters spoke to the man this morning, and he said he wants to stay there. His property has been enveloped in fire and he can’t be found now. | He confirms one man is missing in the Dargan area. He said firefighters spoke to the man this morning, and he said he wants to stay there. His property has been enveloped in fire and he can’t be found now. |
| There’s been multiple injuries including a firefighter hit by a vehicle on the Bells Line of Rd. He is okay, but may have a fracture. | There’s been multiple injuries including a firefighter hit by a vehicle on the Bells Line of Rd. He is okay, but may have a fracture. |
| A number of other lacerations, injuries, and heat-related problems, but no serious injuries, Fitzsimmons says. | A number of other lacerations, injuries, and heat-related problems, but no serious injuries, Fitzsimmons says. |
| We have an update from RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons.He says the southerly is having a big impact on the Gospers Mountain fire on towns along the Bells Line of Rd in Bilpin and the surrounding areas. | We have an update from RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons.He says the southerly is having a big impact on the Gospers Mountain fire on towns along the Bells Line of Rd in Bilpin and the surrounding areas. |
| He says there are reports from multiple fire grounds of properties being damaged and destroyed. He says the numbers could be in the dozens. There are still hours to go with this strong southerly. | He says there are reports from multiple fire grounds of properties being damaged and destroyed. He says the numbers could be in the dozens. There are still hours to go with this strong southerly. |
| “It’s going to take a long time for that behaviour to settle down... We’ve got a long night ahead.” | “It’s going to take a long time for that behaviour to settle down... We’ve got a long night ahead.” |
| Just a quick update on the situation as on 7pm AEDT: | Just a quick update on the situation as on 7pm AEDT: |
| There are four fires at emergency warning level in New South Wales: Currowan fire, Gospers Mountain fire, Green Wattle Creek and Upper Turon Rd, Palmers Oaky | There are four fires at emergency warning level in New South Wales: Currowan fire, Gospers Mountain fire, Green Wattle Creek and Upper Turon Rd, Palmers Oaky |
| The Gospers Mountain fire is threatening Lithgow and Bilpin on the Bells Line of Rd in the Blue Mountains in particular, but there are many fronts | The Gospers Mountain fire is threatening Lithgow and Bilpin on the Bells Line of Rd in the Blue Mountains in particular, but there are many fronts |
| A strong southerly change is dropping temperatures across NSW, but is making fire behave erratically | A strong southerly change is dropping temperatures across NSW, but is making fire behave erratically |
| Two emergency warnings in Victoria for fires in Tambo Crossing, Wattle Circle, Stirling, and Brookville | Two emergency warnings in Victoria for fires in Tambo Crossing, Wattle Circle, Stirling, and Brookville |
| A couple of fires in South Australia are at a watch and act level, but one man died in a car crash and one was critically injured. | A couple of fires in South Australia are at a watch and act level, but one man died in a car crash and one was critically injured. |