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| Australia fires: Navy rescues people from fire-hit Mallacoota | Australia fires: Navy rescues people from fire-hit Mallacoota |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The Australian navy has begun evacuating people trapped in the fire-ravaged town of Mallacoota on the Victoria coast. | |
| Two ships, HMAS Choules and MV Sycamore, will pick up about 1,000 people, MP Darren Chester said. | Two ships, HMAS Choules and MV Sycamore, will pick up about 1,000 people, MP Darren Chester said. |
| Mr Chester called it an "unprecedented mass relocation". Conditions were "smoky but fine", he added. | Mr Chester called it an "unprecedented mass relocation". Conditions were "smoky but fine", he added. |
| Some 4,000 residents and tourists fled to the beach on Monday night, when racing bushfires encircled the town. | Some 4,000 residents and tourists fled to the beach on Monday night, when racing bushfires encircled the town. |
| The military evacuated around 60 people by air last night. | The military evacuated around 60 people by air last night. |
| By Thursday night, 963 had signed up for Friday's naval evacuations, with a few more doing so this morning, Commander Scott Houlihan said. | By Thursday night, 963 had signed up for Friday's naval evacuations, with a few more doing so this morning, Commander Scott Houlihan said. |
| The evacuees will sail to Port Welshpool, local media reported - a 16-hour voyage down the Victoria coast. | The evacuees will sail to Port Welshpool, local media reported - a 16-hour voyage down the Victoria coast. |
| The larger ship, HMAS Choules, has a "few hundred beds". Further trips are possible, depending on demand. | The larger ship, HMAS Choules, has a "few hundred beds". Further trips are possible, depending on demand. |
| Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews declared a state of disaster for six areas and resorts, including Mallacoota. | |
| "Some people will want to go, some people will be happy to stay," he said of the evacuation. | |
| Thousands of people are also fleeing parts of neighbouring New South Wales, where a state of emergency is in force. | Thousands of people are also fleeing parts of neighbouring New South Wales, where a state of emergency is in force. |
| Since September fires have killed 19 people in the two states. | Since September fires have killed 19 people in the two states. |
| More than 1,200 homes have been destroyed. At least 28 people remain missing after fires this week alone. | More than 1,200 homes have been destroyed. At least 28 people remain missing after fires this week alone. |
| Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has come under attack for his response to the fires. | Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has come under attack for his response to the fires. |
| He was heckled by angry locals in Cobargo, New South Wales, and had to cut short his visit to the fire-hit town. | He was heckled by angry locals in Cobargo, New South Wales, and had to cut short his visit to the fire-hit town. |
| In a news conference on Friday, he said he understood people's anger and that they had "suffered a great lot" and were "feeling very raw". | |
| Mr Morrison has also faced criticism for his climate change policies, with many saying urgent action must be taken. | |
| But he insists that Australia is meeting the challenge "better than most countries" and fulfilling international targets. | But he insists that Australia is meeting the challenge "better than most countries" and fulfilling international targets. |
| Opposition Labor leader Anthony Albanese said the government was not doing enough. | Opposition Labor leader Anthony Albanese said the government was not doing enough. |
| Mr Morrison was earlier criticised for going on holiday to Hawaii as the bushfire crisis worsened. Public anger at his absence eventually forced him to cut that trip short. | Mr Morrison was earlier criticised for going on holiday to Hawaii as the bushfire crisis worsened. Public anger at his absence eventually forced him to cut that trip short. |
| What is happening on the ground? | What is happening on the ground? |
| New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has declared a week-long state of emergency, which started at 08:00 local time on Friday (21:00 GMT on Thursday). | New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has declared a week-long state of emergency, which started at 08:00 local time on Friday (21:00 GMT on Thursday). |
| Thousands of people are already fleeing a vast "tourist leave zone" in NSW, with supplies running low in some cut-off towns. It's been called "the largest relocation out of the region ever". | Thousands of people are already fleeing a vast "tourist leave zone" in NSW, with supplies running low in some cut-off towns. It's been called "the largest relocation out of the region ever". |
| Kosciusko National Park in the south of NSW, home to the country's highest mainland peaks is also being evacuated and closed. | |
| High temperatures and strong winds are forecast for the weekend, leading to "widespread extreme fire danger". | High temperatures and strong winds are forecast for the weekend, leading to "widespread extreme fire danger". |
| The state government has warned that conditions are likely to be "at least as bad" as New Year's Eve, when hundreds of homes were destroyed. | The state government has warned that conditions are likely to be "at least as bad" as New Year's Eve, when hundreds of homes were destroyed. |
| There's never a single reason why wildfires escalate and, in the case of Australia, a perfect storm of factors is involved. | There's never a single reason why wildfires escalate and, in the case of Australia, a perfect storm of factors is involved. |
| The country regularly sees fires but they are usually centred on bushland while the current blazes are striking forests, which burn hotter and higher so are harder to tackle. | The country regularly sees fires but they are usually centred on bushland while the current blazes are striking forests, which burn hotter and higher so are harder to tackle. |
| There's plenty to ignite. A programme to create firebreaks - deliberately clearing vegetation to prevent it from catching fire - has unfolded less quickly than hoped. It's slow, labour-intensive work, and expensive too. | There's plenty to ignite. A programme to create firebreaks - deliberately clearing vegetation to prevent it from catching fire - has unfolded less quickly than hoped. It's slow, labour-intensive work, and expensive too. |
| On top of all this, a pattern of unusually dry weather over the past three years culminated in the driest spring on record at the end of last year. | On top of all this, a pattern of unusually dry weather over the past three years culminated in the driest spring on record at the end of last year. |
| That left many areas vulnerable to fire, particularly when 2019 also proved to be Australia's hottest on record - and warmer conditions cause more evaporation, adding to the risk. | That left many areas vulnerable to fire, particularly when 2019 also proved to be Australia's hottest on record - and warmer conditions cause more evaporation, adding to the risk. |
| All this has sharpened Australia's divisions over climate change. A coal-rich economy that depends on fossil fuels faces new questions about its own hand in raising temperatures. | All this has sharpened Australia's divisions over climate change. A coal-rich economy that depends on fossil fuels faces new questions about its own hand in raising temperatures. |
| What about other parts of Australia? | What about other parts of Australia? |
| In the capital Canberra - an administrative region surrounded by NSW - bushfire smoke meant air quality there was rated worse than any major global city on Thursday, according to Swiss-based group AirVisual. | In the capital Canberra - an administrative region surrounded by NSW - bushfire smoke meant air quality there was rated worse than any major global city on Thursday, according to Swiss-based group AirVisual. |
| An elderly woman died after being exposed to the smoke as she exited a plane at Canberra airport, local reports say. Australia Post has suspended deliveries in the city "until further notice". | An elderly woman died after being exposed to the smoke as she exited a plane at Canberra airport, local reports say. Australia Post has suspended deliveries in the city "until further notice". |
| The university campus of Australian National University has been closed until 7 January as a "precautionary measure". | |
| Two regions of Western Australia (WA) were also facing catastrophic fire danger on Thursday, and parts of South Australia were expected to see extreme conditions on Friday. | Two regions of Western Australia (WA) were also facing catastrophic fire danger on Thursday, and parts of South Australia were expected to see extreme conditions on Friday. |
| Meteorologists say a climate system in the Indian Ocean, known as the dipole, is the main driver behind the extreme heat in Australia. | Meteorologists say a climate system in the Indian Ocean, known as the dipole, is the main driver behind the extreme heat in Australia. |
| However, many parts of Australia have been in drought conditions, some for years, which has made it easier for the fires to spread and grow. | However, many parts of Australia have been in drought conditions, some for years, which has made it easier for the fires to spread and grow. |
| Have you been told to evacuate? You can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk if it is safe for you to do so. | Have you been told to evacuate? You can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk if it is safe for you to do so. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |