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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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| Australia fires: 23 firefighters injured in South Australia bushfires as second person confirmed dead – live | Australia fires: 23 firefighters injured in South Australia bushfires as second person confirmed dead – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Emergency fire warnings have been issued for parts of NSW, including Greater Sydney, Victoria and South Australia. Follow for the latest news and updates | Emergency fire warnings have been issued for parts of NSW, including Greater Sydney, Victoria and South Australia. Follow for the latest news and updates |
| Hi all, it’s Luke Henriques-Gomes here. I’ll be taking over from Naaman while he has a well-earned break. | |
| If you want to bring something to my attention, please send me an email at luke.henriques-gomes@theguardian.com or get in touch on Twitter (@lukehgomes). | |
| A frank exchange of views here on Sunrise about Scott Morrison’s holiday to Hawaii. | |
| “He decides to apologise yesterday. I didn’t think he had any reason to apologise to anyone”, says 2GB’s Chris Smith. | |
| “Hawaii, that strip in Honolulu is so small, if you want to see someone who is in Hawaii, you just go to that strip and see them. It’s a very small place.” | |
| Smith declares it “the biggest beat-up I have seen in 40 years.” | |
| Gretel Killeen says she is “gobsmacked” at both Smith and host Bazil Zempilas’s opinion. | |
| “I am confounded at what your understanding of leadership is?” she asks | |
| “Chris, yelling at me will not convince me. The majority of the country agrees...the surveys show that.” | |
| Protesters have gathered for a second day outside Kirribilli House in Sydney. | |
| Many are holding placards and posters attacking the prime minister for inaction on climate change and a lack of leadership during this week’s bushfire crisis. Protesters are chanting: “The oceans are rising, no more compromising.” | |
| Protesters also gathered on Thursday, when 13-year-old Izzy Raj-Seppings was given a move-on order from police. | |
| A day of catastrophic conditions, high-40s temperatures and mass road closures has so far panned out as authorities feared. | A day of catastrophic conditions, high-40s temperatures and mass road closures has so far panned out as authorities feared. |
| Emergency-level fires are blazing across three states: NSW, South Australia and Victoria. | Emergency-level fires are blazing across three states: NSW, South Australia and Victoria. |
| In SA, a second person was confirmed killed, and one seriously injured, in the Adelaide Hills. A man also died in a car crash yesterday at Lameroo. SA premier Steve Marshal confirmed the man was a 24-year old from Queensland, and the crash itself started a fire that injured a resident. | In SA, a second person was confirmed killed, and one seriously injured, in the Adelaide Hills. A man also died in a car crash yesterday at Lameroo. SA premier Steve Marshal confirmed the man was a 24-year old from Queensland, and the crash itself started a fire that injured a resident. |
| 23 firefighters were also injured, one seriously. | 23 firefighters were also injured, one seriously. |
| SA firefighters still have up to 100 properties or calls to follow up on to see if others are affected. | SA firefighters still have up to 100 properties or calls to follow up on to see if others are affected. |
| A fire on Kangaroo Island remains at emergency, while the Cudlee Creek fire was downgraded to watch and act. | A fire on Kangaroo Island remains at emergency, while the Cudlee Creek fire was downgraded to watch and act. |
| Five homes, 28 buildings and 16 vehicles have been destroyed. | Five homes, 28 buildings and 16 vehicles have been destroyed. |
| In Victoria, the Marthavale fire in East Gippsland quadrupled in size overnight, growing so large it created its own weather. It is still at emergency level. | In Victoria, the Marthavale fire in East Gippsland quadrupled in size overnight, growing so large it created its own weather. It is still at emergency level. |
| There are two emergency warnings in place: for Ensay, Reedy Flat, Stirling and Holstons; and Tambo Crossing, Wattle Circle and Stirling. | There are two emergency warnings in place: for Ensay, Reedy Flat, Stirling and Holstons; and Tambo Crossing, Wattle Circle and Stirling. |
| In NSW, the huge Gospers Mountain blaze and the Green Wattle Creek fire both returned to emergency after easing overnight. | In NSW, the huge Gospers Mountain blaze and the Green Wattle Creek fire both returned to emergency after easing overnight. |
| The NSW premier and police have told residents to please delay travel: “Today is not the day to start your holiday.” | The NSW premier and police have told residents to please delay travel: “Today is not the day to start your holiday.” |
| Prime minister Scott Morrison is scheduled to return to Australia by tonight, but was spotted at 7am AEDT still in Hawaii. | Prime minister Scott Morrison is scheduled to return to Australia by tonight, but was spotted at 7am AEDT still in Hawaii. |
| Opposition leader Anthony Albanese said there had been no transparency around the trip, and “media enquiries were met with misinformation, at best” after the PM’s office initially told reporters he was not in Hawaii. | Opposition leader Anthony Albanese said there had been no transparency around the trip, and “media enquiries were met with misinformation, at best” after the PM’s office initially told reporters he was not in Hawaii. |
| The NSW RFS has set up a dedicated donations fund for the families of two firefighters who died on Thursday after their truck overturned near the Green Wattle Creek fireground. | The NSW RFS has set up a dedicated donations fund for the families of two firefighters who died on Thursday after their truck overturned near the Green Wattle Creek fireground. |
| Also in Lexton, this dispatch from the local camel sanctuary. | Also in Lexton, this dispatch from the local camel sanctuary. |
| The Lithgow area of the Gospers Mountain fire is now also at emergency. | The Lithgow area of the Gospers Mountain fire is now also at emergency. |
| Fire activity is increasing in Bell, Clarence and Dargan. A few minutes ago, an emergency alert was issued for between Bilpin and Kurrajong Heights. | Fire activity is increasing in Bell, Clarence and Dargan. A few minutes ago, an emergency alert was issued for between Bilpin and Kurrajong Heights. |
| The Gospers Mountain fire is a very large fire with many fronts, and conditions vary in different areas. | The Gospers Mountain fire is a very large fire with many fronts, and conditions vary in different areas. |
| The Green Wattle Creek fire – one of the fiercest fires this week – is back at emergency. | The Green Wattle Creek fire – one of the fiercest fires this week – is back at emergency. |
| There are now two fires at emergency in NSW. | There are now two fires at emergency in NSW. |
| Two firefighters died on Thursday when their truck overturned on the way to the Green Wattle Creek fire, and two were seriously injured in a separate incident the same day when flames jumped into tree tops and overwhelmed their crew. | Two firefighters died on Thursday when their truck overturned on the way to the Green Wattle Creek fire, and two were seriously injured in a separate incident the same day when flames jumped into tree tops and overwhelmed their crew. |
| The Marthavale fire in Victoria, which quadrupled in size overnight, became so big it began “generating its own weather”, the State Control Centre’s Luke Heagerty told the ABC. | The Marthavale fire in Victoria, which quadrupled in size overnight, became so big it began “generating its own weather”, the State Control Centre’s Luke Heagerty told the ABC. |
| “This fire was large enough to be generating some of its own weather … and was driving itself along purely with the energy created by the fire,” he said. | “This fire was large enough to be generating some of its own weather … and was driving itself along purely with the energy created by the fire,” he said. |
| And elsewhere, in Lexton in the state’s west, residents have shared stories of the evacuation. | And elsewhere, in Lexton in the state’s west, residents have shared stories of the evacuation. |
| Julie Garden, the owner of the Stag Hotel, told the ABC: “It was a bit scary but we were OK. There were a lot of cars going to the football club and everyone was up and about hanging around for a while to see what was going to happen. We could just see a lot of smoke.” | Julie Garden, the owner of the Stag Hotel, told the ABC: “It was a bit scary but we were OK. There were a lot of cars going to the football club and everyone was up and about hanging around for a while to see what was going to happen. We could just see a lot of smoke.” |
| Avoca Milk Bar owner Karan Verma said: “We closed around 8.30pm and at 10pm a woman called up crying.” | Avoca Milk Bar owner Karan Verma said: “We closed around 8.30pm and at 10pm a woman called up crying.” |
| And this frightening footage from Adelaide. | And this frightening footage from Adelaide. |
| As poster Lucky Tran says: “Thousands of expats are now returning home to Australia for the holidays and seeing sights like this from the plane. Incredibly heartbreaking.” | As poster Lucky Tran says: “Thousands of expats are now returning home to Australia for the holidays and seeing sights like this from the plane. Incredibly heartbreaking.” |
| The Gospers Mountain fire covers a very large area, and emergency warnings and conditions will vary in different parts of the area. | The Gospers Mountain fire covers a very large area, and emergency warnings and conditions will vary in different parts of the area. |
| The most dangerous area now is from Bilpin to Kurrajong Heights. | The most dangerous area now is from Bilpin to Kurrajong Heights. |
| Fire activity is increasing here, on the southern side of Bells Line of Road, the RFS says. The path is clear to Richmond, and a safer location is the Richmond Club on East Market Street. | Fire activity is increasing here, on the southern side of Bells Line of Road, the RFS says. The path is clear to Richmond, and a safer location is the Richmond Club on East Market Street. |
| The threat has eased at Lithgow, Hermitage Flat, McKellars Park and Cobar Park. | The threat has eased at Lithgow, Hermitage Flat, McKellars Park and Cobar Park. |
| But people in all areas should be aware that embers can start spot fires ahead of the main fire front, and conditions can change. | But people in all areas should be aware that embers can start spot fires ahead of the main fire front, and conditions can change. |
| The predicted fire spread map is here. Many roads remain closed. | The predicted fire spread map is here. Many roads remain closed. |
| Gospers Mountain has flared back to emergency level. | Gospers Mountain has flared back to emergency level. |
| It was burning at emergency level earlier this morning, before being downgraded to wach and act. The huge fire, burning over 459,848 hectares, is now back to emergency. | It was burning at emergency level earlier this morning, before being downgraded to wach and act. The huge fire, burning over 459,848 hectares, is now back to emergency. |
| Some parts of NSW will hit the mid 40s today, including the Sydney metropolitan, the bureau of meteorology says. | Some parts of NSW will hit the mid 40s today, including the Sydney metropolitan, the bureau of meteorology says. |
| Meanwhile the smoke is thick in Canberra, and there is not much rain forecast for the future. | Meanwhile the smoke is thick in Canberra, and there is not much rain forecast for the future. |
| Firefighters across NSW are working today despite the grief of losing two of their colleagues and friends on Thursday. | Firefighters across NSW are working today despite the grief of losing two of their colleagues and friends on Thursday. |
| Flags were flown at half-mast on Friday after the two young fathers, Geoffrey Keaton, 32, and Andrew O’Dwyer, 36, were killed when their truck turned over near the Green Wattle Creek fire. | Flags were flown at half-mast on Friday after the two young fathers, Geoffrey Keaton, 32, and Andrew O’Dwyer, 36, were killed when their truck turned over near the Green Wattle Creek fire. |
| Their brigade, the Horsley Park Rural Fire Brigade, is already back on firegounds. | Their brigade, the Horsley Park Rural Fire Brigade, is already back on firegounds. |
| “In true Horsley Park spirit, our crew are heading out today as part of a Cumberland Zone Strike Team in memory of Geoff and Andrew,” the Horsley Park RFS posted on Facebook. | “In true Horsley Park spirit, our crew are heading out today as part of a Cumberland Zone Strike Team in memory of Geoff and Andrew,” the Horsley Park RFS posted on Facebook. |