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Victoria bushfires: thousands evacuated from East Gippsland on day of huge fires threat – live Victoria fires live: thousands evacuated from East Gippsland on day of huge bushfires threat – latest
(32 minutes later)
Vic Emergency has ordered the mass evacuation of a vast area, with catastrophic conditions also forecast for South Australia. Follow latest news and live updatesVic Emergency has ordered the mass evacuation of a vast area, with catastrophic conditions also forecast for South Australia. Follow latest news and live updates
Another emergency warning has been issued in Victoria, this time for Suggan Buggan. That is in the Alpine region, right on the border with NSW.
Emergency Services Victoria says:
There is a bushfire at 5km north of Suggan Buggan that is not yet under control.
This fire is becoming increasingly active and travelling south.
There is also a fire in NSW 13km north of Suggan Buggan moving south towards Victoria that has produced a significant smoke column.
This was the scene at a fire at Cabbage Tree Creek yesterday.
A new emergency warning is in place in Gelantipy, Wulgulmerang, Wulgulmerang East. Those are townships in East Gippsland.A new emergency warning is in place in Gelantipy, Wulgulmerang, Wulgulmerang East. Those are townships in East Gippsland.
The CFA says:The CFA says:
There is a bushfire 5 km west of Wulgulmerang that is not yet under control.There is a bushfire 5 km west of Wulgulmerang that is not yet under control.
It is too late to leave, this fire is moving rapidly.It is too late to leave, this fire is moving rapidly.
This fire is threatening homes and lives.This fire is threatening homes and lives.
“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive.”“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive.”
Over in NSW, the deputy premier, John Barilaro, has called for Sydney’s NYE fireworks display to be cancelled.Over in NSW, the deputy premier, John Barilaro, has called for Sydney’s NYE fireworks display to be cancelled.
The Nationals leader has shared that view in a tweet posted this morning.The Nationals leader has shared that view in a tweet posted this morning.
It puts him at odds with the City of Sydney, which says the fireworks will proceed, and the NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, who has also said they should go ahead unless the NSW RFS says otherwise.It puts him at odds with the City of Sydney, which says the fireworks will proceed, and the NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, who has also said they should go ahead unless the NSW RFS says otherwise.
Some more from AAP.Some more from AAP.
Just to follow up the fire at Mallacoota that is generating its own lightning. Guardian Australia environment reporter Graham Redfearn put together this piece on Pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCB) this month.Just to follow up the fire at Mallacoota that is generating its own lightning. Guardian Australia environment reporter Graham Redfearn put together this piece on Pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCB) this month.
About a dozen holiday makers with caravans and tents have set up temporarily in Howitt Park, Bairnsdale, after being advised to leave East Gippsland.About a dozen holiday makers with caravans and tents have set up temporarily in Howitt Park, Bairnsdale, after being advised to leave East Gippsland.
Among them are Craig Anderson and Brendan Gaffey and their families. They had been camping at Kalimna near Lakes Entrance since Saturday and are hoping to return tomorrow to finish their week-long holiday before returning to Melbourne.Among them are Craig Anderson and Brendan Gaffey and their families. They had been camping at Kalimna near Lakes Entrance since Saturday and are hoping to return tomorrow to finish their week-long holiday before returning to Melbourne.
“Today is the only day that is forecast to be really bad,” Anderson said. “Hopefully if it doesn’t go terribly we can go back.”“Today is the only day that is forecast to be really bad,” Anderson said. “Hopefully if it doesn’t go terribly we can go back.”
Anderson said there were still some people at the caravan park at Kalimna when they left this morning, including a number of permanent residents. He and Gaffey and their families decided not to risk it.Anderson said there were still some people at the caravan park at Kalimna when they left this morning, including a number of permanent residents. He and Gaffey and their families decided not to risk it.
“If the highway is closed we would rather be on this side of it,” Anderson said. “We had wanted to come into Bairnsdale anyway to do a bit of shopping, and we thought we may as well just do that and bring our gear with us just in case.”“If the highway is closed we would rather be on this side of it,” Anderson said. “We had wanted to come into Bairnsdale anyway to do a bit of shopping, and we thought we may as well just do that and bring our gear with us just in case.”
Here is some more information about this from the Bom website:Here is some more information about this from the Bom website:
I’ve been chatting with the author and journalist Lucie Morris-Marr, who has been sharing updates from Gippsland at @luciemorrismarr on Twitter.I’ve been chatting with the author and journalist Lucie Morris-Marr, who has been sharing updates from Gippsland at @luciemorrismarr on Twitter.
Morris-Marr was holidaying with her family at Metung, East Gippsland and received the evacuation warning text message. She left with her family this morning, but others have decided to stay.Morris-Marr was holidaying with her family at Metung, East Gippsland and received the evacuation warning text message. She left with her family this morning, but others have decided to stay.
Calla is on the road in Gippsland with photographer Chris Hopkins. You’ll remember the Victorian emergency services commissioner Andrew Crisp said those looking to evacuate should do so before 9am. Calla tells me there are not too many cars on the road where she is.
My colleague Ben Smee has this story today about the push to declare a climate emergency. It’s definitely worth a read. Ben writes: “In Australia, as ever when it comes to climate policy, the process has been polarising and frustrating.”
The Marlo Hotel is on the mouth of the Snowy River, near Orbost. It’s in the middle of the “leave now” area in East Gippsland.
But Pete, who works at the hotel, said that locals who received the warning text thought it was “a bit of a joke”.
It’s a bit like the boy who cried wolf,” he said. “But the authorities are bedevilled if they do and bedevilled if they don’t. If they don’t tell people to get out and there’s another fire, and everyone tries to evacuate at once, that will be a problem.”
The hotel has had a few cancellations, and some tourists have said they are leaving. The impact on local businesses could be severe.
“This is the time of year where local businesses make their money,” he said. “More often than not it’s enough to get them through the quiet winter months to the next summer.”
I’ve had a look at some temperature observations across Victoria and SA.
At 9am, it was 37.5C in the Victorian town of Swan Hill, and 36.9C at Orbost in East Gippsland.
In South Australia, it hit 38C at Port Augusta in 8.45am.
Meanwhile, large parts of NSW are still burning. Severe fire danger is forecast for the state’s south.
Earlier on the ABC, the SA Country Fire Service’s chief officer Brenton Eden discussed the day’s conditions.
He says the state will face a “dangerous short duration event of catastrophic fire weather”. Already, strong winds are causing havoc. The Cudlee Creek fire, which has been burning for four days, is sending out embers and causing trees to collapse.
Chris Eagle, the incident controller for the East Gippsland fires, has just spoken on ABC Gippsland.
He said the fire at Cann River, which is the cause of that emergency warning at Mallacoota, moved 24km in just six hours overnight.
It is now just 5km south of the Princes Highway. When the wind changes from the northwest to the southwest the highway is likely to be cut off.
That wind change will reach Sale at 10pm, Bairnsdale at 11.30pm and Mallacoota near midnight.
The smoke column for the Cann River fire is 14km high and making its own weather, Eagle said. That includes its own lightning.
Twelve new fires started on the Victorian side of the border overnight, and 10 in NSW that could be pushed south. Firefighters have been working on a control line on the southern side of the Marthavale/Bruthen fire, which has joined up to make a 105,000ha u-shaped blaze.
Eagle said they should be able to hold at least parts of that containment line today. Efforts will be concentrated on holding that line, not battling the front itself.
“This is not the day where we are going to pit firefighters in front of the fire,” he said.
Yesterday, organisers of the annual Falls Festival cancelled the multi-date event at Lorne, on Victoria’s Surf Coast.
There were some hastily organised shows last night in Melbourne and a few are also scheduled for today.
Overseas artists Halsey, Yungblud as well as local favourites Peking Duk said they would donate proceeds from their shows to Victoria’s Country Fire Authority.