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/30/australia-victoria-bushfires-evacuated-east-gippsland-fires-news-live-latest-updates
The article has changed 27 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 9 | Version 10 |
|---|---|
| Victoria fires live: six emergency warnings in place for East Gippsland bushfires – 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 updates | Vic Emergency has ordered the mass evacuation of a vast area, with catastrophic conditions also forecast for South Australia. Follow latest news and live updates |
| The CFA has just declared more emergency level fires in the East Gippsland area. | |
| These are the latest updates from the CFA in the last 10 minutes, adding to previous updates about emergency fires near Goongerah, Butchers Ridge, Reedy Flat and Suggan Buggan. | |
| Wingan RiverThis fire has increased rapidly in size, and is out of control. It is approximately 20km east of Cann River with easterly winds putting pressure on the western side of the fire.The warning applies to Furnell, Tamboon South and Wingan River. | |
| Ramrod CreekA bushfire north of Bruthen is out of control. It’s travelling south from Boys Camp Road towards Ramrod Creek, and could impact within the next hour. Leaving now is the safest option. | |
| Edit: This post has been edited to remove a reference to evacuation orders for Goongerah and Martins Creek. The current CFA warnings say it is too late to leave and the safest option is to take shelter indoors. | |
| The Princes Highway is also now closed between Cann River and the Genoa intersection. Do not head north from Cann River on the Princes Highway if you are travelling. | |
| This is Helen Davidson taking over the blog from Luke Henriques-Gomes. | |
| An emergency warning has been issued for Goongerah, Martins Creek, Sardine Creek, Errinundra and Nurran, where it is too late to leave and the safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately. | An emergency warning has been issued for Goongerah, Martins Creek, Sardine Creek, Errinundra and Nurran, where it is too late to leave and the safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately. |
| This is an upgrade in severity from the watch and act warning issued this morning. | |
| The CFA says the bushfire, which is west of Goongerah and south-west of Bonang, remains out of control and fire activity is increasing. There are two significant columns building in the south-eastern corner of the fire, heading towards Goongerah and Martins Creek. | |
| The fire is threatening homes and lives. | The fire is threatening homes and lives. |
| Some temperatures in the East Gippsland region so far today: | Some temperatures in the East Gippsland region so far today: |
| Orbost was recorded at 43.1C at 12.15pm, while Bairnsdale was at 42.1C at 12.25pm. | Orbost was recorded at 43.1C at 12.15pm, while Bairnsdale was at 42.1C at 12.25pm. |
| An updated emergency alert has been issued for Reedy Flat, Tambo Crossing, Wattle Circle and Ensay South. Lives and homes are under threat. | An updated emergency alert has been issued for Reedy Flat, Tambo Crossing, Wattle Circle and Ensay South. Lives and homes are under threat. |
| The fire north-west of Tambo Crossing is out of control. | The fire north-west of Tambo Crossing is out of control. |
| This fire is moving in a south-easterly direction towards Tambo Crossing and Wattle Circle and is likely to impact these communities any time between 12pm and 2pm today. | This fire is moving in a south-easterly direction towards Tambo Crossing and Wattle Circle and is likely to impact these communities any time between 12pm and 2pm today. |
| It is too late to leave. | It is too late to leave. |
| This fire is threatening homes and lives. | This fire is threatening homes and lives. |
| Photographer Chris Hopkins is travelling with our reporter Calla Wahlquist today. He took these images of emergency service workers and evacuated families in Bairnsdale, just to the west of the threatened region of East Gippsland. | Photographer Chris Hopkins is travelling with our reporter Calla Wahlquist today. He took these images of emergency service workers and evacuated families in Bairnsdale, just to the west of the threatened region of East Gippsland. |
| About 1,000 firefighters, a mixture of department and CFA volunteers, had been positioned at strategic locations around East Gippsland today and tasked with protecting key assets and communities. It was too dangerous to send firefighters into the forest itself. | About 1,000 firefighters, a mixture of department and CFA volunteers, had been positioned at strategic locations around East Gippsland today and tasked with protecting key assets and communities. It was too dangerous to send firefighters into the forest itself. |
| Rankin said that not all of the properties and small towns throughout East Gippsland were “fully defendable” and if the fire behaved in a particularly aggressive way even towns like Metung could be at risk. | Rankin said that not all of the properties and small towns throughout East Gippsland were “fully defendable” and if the fire behaved in a particularly aggressive way even towns like Metung could be at risk. |
| “I don’t want to make judgments about specific towns because if the fire behaves really aggressively it could move more into towns.” | “I don’t want to make judgments about specific towns because if the fire behaves really aggressively it could move more into towns.” |
| He advised everyone in the East Gippsland and Gippsland area to listen to ABC local radio, keep on top of fire alerts, and follow their bushfire safety plan. | He advised everyone in the East Gippsland and Gippsland area to listen to ABC local radio, keep on top of fire alerts, and follow their bushfire safety plan. |
| The Gippsland fires are being managed by Delwp because they are primarily on crown land. Firefighters in lime green overalls, many of whom have taken on the role as a summer job from university, are leaving the centre in groups holding biodegradable plastic bags filled with provisions. | The Gippsland fires are being managed by Delwp because they are primarily on crown land. Firefighters in lime green overalls, many of whom have taken on the role as a summer job from university, are leaving the centre in groups holding biodegradable plastic bags filled with provisions. |
| The incident controller Ben Rankin said the conditions were “quite extreme” for Gippsland, “comparable almost to Black Saturday in some ways, if the forecast does eventuate as given to us”. | The incident controller Ben Rankin said the conditions were “quite extreme” for Gippsland, “comparable almost to Black Saturday in some ways, if the forecast does eventuate as given to us”. |
| The text message sent to everyone in East Gippsland on Sunday, telling them to get out, angered some locals and had been ignored by some tourists. Rankin said that larger tourist towns – like Lakes Entrance itself, not the parks or small campgrounds surrounding it – would be a “relatively safe place to go today”. | The text message sent to everyone in East Gippsland on Sunday, telling them to get out, angered some locals and had been ignored by some tourists. Rankin said that larger tourist towns – like Lakes Entrance itself, not the parks or small campgrounds surrounding it – would be a “relatively safe place to go today”. |
| He said the warning was issued to ensure people knew the risk and that people remained off the road on Monday afternoon and evening, when it was likely fires would cut off the Princes Highway. | He said the warning was issued to ensure people knew the risk and that people remained off the road on Monday afternoon and evening, when it was likely fires would cut off the Princes Highway. |
| “If we get through today and we don’t have a significant fire run within this area I am speaking of in East Gippsland, we would be very fortunate.” | “If we get through today and we don’t have a significant fire run within this area I am speaking of in East Gippsland, we would be very fortunate.” |
| The perimeter of the largest fires in East Gippsland is more than 1,000km long and any area near that perimeter should be considered a risk today, authorities say. | The perimeter of the largest fires in East Gippsland is more than 1,000km long and any area near that perimeter should be considered a risk today, authorities say. |
| “I think it’s inevitable that there will be some significant run of fire today,” said the Gippsland fires incident controller Ben Rankin. | “I think it’s inevitable that there will be some significant run of fire today,” said the Gippsland fires incident controller Ben Rankin. |
| “Where that occurs we will have to react to that as best we can. There is a large perimeter of fire, well over 1,000km of fire perimeter, and on a day like today none of it can be guaranteed to be safe. | “Where that occurs we will have to react to that as best we can. There is a large perimeter of fire, well over 1,000km of fire perimeter, and on a day like today none of it can be guaranteed to be safe. |
| “There is a risk that it would run, and already we are starting to see a significant buildup of some of the fires now, and in the next hour or two we will start to see some movement I would think.” | “There is a risk that it would run, and already we are starting to see a significant buildup of some of the fires now, and in the next hour or two we will start to see some movement I would think.” |
| Rankin addressed local media outside the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (Delwp) headquarters in Bairnsdale a short time ago. | Rankin addressed local media outside the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (Delwp) headquarters in Bairnsdale a short time ago. |
| As we hit midday, here is what we know so far: | As we hit midday, here is what we know so far: |
| There are now four emergency alerts and four watch and act alerts in place in Victoria’s east. | There are now four emergency alerts and four watch and act alerts in place in Victoria’s east. |
| Holidaymakers in East Gippsland were warned to leave before 9am today, but some have stayed. | Holidaymakers in East Gippsland were warned to leave before 9am today, but some have stayed. |
| A fire at Mallacoota is generating its own lightning, while two bushfires near Ensay and Tambo Crossing merged and remain very active. | A fire at Mallacoota is generating its own lightning, while two bushfires near Ensay and Tambo Crossing merged and remain very active. |
| In South Australia, firefighters are battling catastrophic fire conditions in the Adelaide Hills, mid-north and Yorke Peninsula. | In South Australia, firefighters are battling catastrophic fire conditions in the Adelaide Hills, mid-north and Yorke Peninsula. |
| Hobart is tipped to reach 40C, as Tasmania also braces for a day of fire danger. | Hobart is tipped to reach 40C, as Tasmania also braces for a day of fire danger. |