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| Australia bushfires: NSW fires cause tens of thousands to flee as Victoria declares state of disaster – live | Australia bushfires: NSW fires cause tens of thousands to flee as Victoria declares state of disaster – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Victorian premier Daniel Andrews declares state of disaster for East Gippsland, urging people to flee bushfire zones, while Scott Morrison is abused by fire victims in Cobargo. Follow today’s live news and latest updates | Victorian premier Daniel Andrews declares state of disaster for East Gippsland, urging people to flee bushfire zones, while Scott Morrison is abused by fire victims in Cobargo. Follow today’s live news and latest updates |
| NSW deputy police commissioner Gary Worboys acknowledges it’s been a long night for people trying to get out of the south coast. | |
| And he says there will be plenty of congestion on the roads today. Already, tens of thousands of cars have left the area, Worboys says. | |
| This is probably quite clear given the mass evacuations, but a fairly chilling quote from Rodgers: “Our pure focus for tomorrow is about the preservation of life.” | |
| Rodgers says crews are concerned about Batlow in southern NSW. “There is a 50km plus stretch of fire likely to come back across the border tomorrow. That combined with fires already in that part of the state will have a fire front stretching 60-70km long. We can’t stop those fires, we can’t stop those fires we already have.” | |
| NSW authorities are providing media briefing right now. RFS deputy commissioner Rob Rodgers says there are currently 142 fires burning through the state. | |
| He notes a fire south of Batemans Bay is very active and they are concerned that as conditions deteriorate tomorrow, the fire may flare up again. | |
| “But even those areas that have already been impacted by fire, there’s still a lot of pockets among the bush that we are concerned about and conditions tomorrow, the fire may flare up,” he says. | |
| “We’ll put out maps shortly that will pinpoint the ember buffer. Do not be in those areas. Go to a major centre away from those potential impact areas. It might be a large town. Go to the beach, an area that has already been burnt, just don’t be there.” | |
| The NSW Liberal transport minister, Andrew Constance, has told Channel Seven that prime minister Scott Morrison got the welcome “he probably deserved” when he was heckled and abused by locals at Cobargo last night. | |
| Constance represents Bega and lived through the terror of the fires on New Year’s Eve. Asked about the reaction to the prime minister. Constance said: “Well, I didn’t even know he was coming and I haven’t had a call from him. | |
| As I mentioned, Scott Morrison copped an earful at Cobargo last night. The town was devastated by fires on Tuesday. | |
| Channel Nine captured this footage but the news has travelled far and wide. It has also been prominently covered on CNN and the BBC. | |
| Andrews is asked about the footage of Scott Morrison receiving a frosty reception in Cobargo last night. You might have already seen it, but I’ll post it here shortly because if you haven’t, you definitely should. | Andrews is asked about the footage of Scott Morrison receiving a frosty reception in Cobargo last night. You might have already seen it, but I’ll post it here shortly because if you haven’t, you definitely should. |
| The premier says he understands that emotions are running high right now. But he adds: “I can only say thank you to the prime minister for the partnership we have. I have just spoken with him a few moments ago. He is in Victoria today. | |
| “The partnership between our emergency services, led by Victoria police and the ADF, is unprecedented and I am grateful for the partnership and open dialogue and constant communication I have had with the prime minister. That is keeping Victorians safe.” | |
| Andrews says he hopes it sends a “powerful and formal message to people ‘Don’t visit these communities and if you can, get out, you have to get out.’” | Andrews says he hopes it sends a “powerful and formal message to people ‘Don’t visit these communities and if you can, get out, you have to get out.’” |
| “All we can do is appeal to peoples’ common sense and the sense that there is a shared responsibility here,” he says. | “All we can do is appeal to peoples’ common sense and the sense that there is a shared responsibility here,” he says. |
| “None of us should put other people in harm’s way. We cannot guarantee your safety if you stay and you may well cause other people to go into dangerous circumstances to try and provide assistance to you. | “None of us should put other people in harm’s way. We cannot guarantee your safety if you stay and you may well cause other people to go into dangerous circumstances to try and provide assistance to you. |
| “Finally, there is a very large matter of getting trapped and being isolated. We don’t want to see any more people cut off in fire-affected communities.” | “Finally, there is a very large matter of getting trapped and being isolated. We don’t want to see any more people cut off in fire-affected communities.” |
| The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, is speaking on the ABC now. | The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, is speaking on the ABC now. |
| Overnight, a second person was confirmed dead in East Gippsland. The state government has also declared a state of disaster, which allows authorities to forcibly evacuate people. | Overnight, a second person was confirmed dead in East Gippsland. The state government has also declared a state of disaster, which allows authorities to forcibly evacuate people. |
| Andrews says it is the first time the state has invoked these powers. (They were established after Black Saturday.) | Andrews says it is the first time the state has invoked these powers. (They were established after Black Saturday.) |
| Good morning. I’m Luke Henriques-Gomes. Thanks for joining our rolling coverage of the bushfires crisis. | Good morning. I’m Luke Henriques-Gomes. Thanks for joining our rolling coverage of the bushfires crisis. |
| You’re joining us as a mass scale evacuation takes place across the east coast of Australia ahead of deteriorating conditions today and tomorrow. | You’re joining us as a mass scale evacuation takes place across the east coast of Australia ahead of deteriorating conditions today and tomorrow. |
| We’ll be with you throughout the today with the latest news. | We’ll be with you throughout the today with the latest news. |