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Australia fires live: three people dead in NSW air tanker crash as bushfires close Canberra airport - latest updates
Australia fires live: three people dead in NSW air tanker crash as bushfires close Canberra airport - latest updates
(about 1 hour later)
Residents near a bushfire south of Canberra’s airport told to seek shelter as extreme temperatures fan bushfires across New South Wales. Follow the latest news and live updates
Residents near a bushfire south of Canberra’s airport told to seek shelter as extreme temperatures fan bushfires across New South Wales. Follow the latest news and live updates
Before we leave you for the night, let’s briefly recap the day’s events:
Three US firefighters were killed on Thursday after their waterbombing plane crashed about 1.30pm while they battled bushfires in southern New South Wales. The cause of the crash is unknown.
The tragedy brings the death toll to 32.
Homes are reportedly lost at Moruya and Bermagui after fires once again tore through the NSW south cast. The RFS is yet to confirm the extent of the damage
A fire near the Pialligo forest threatened homes and forced the closure of Canberra airport. It has since reopened, but several flights were cancelled and the city was once again blanketed by thick smoke.
People in NSW and the ACT were asked to conserve energy until 8pm tonight because of the pressure “extreme weather” is taking on the grid.
In Victoria, Melbourne was blanketed in brown rain and play at the Australian Open has been pushed back due to the weather.
In slightly happier news:
In slightly happier news:
The RSPCA says it has set up a special hotline for people with domestic animals affected by the bushfires, and is working on a suite of support services.
The RSPCA says it has set up a special hotline for people with domestic animals affected by the bushfires, and is working on a suite of support services.
The RSPCA acting CEO, Tegan McPherson, says the organisation will look after pet welfare, while supporting other agencies to work with commercial livestock and wildlife.
The RSPCA acting CEO, Tegan McPherson, says the organisation will look after pet welfare, while supporting other agencies to work with commercial livestock and wildlife.
“Whether it’s food, water, shelter, property visits or basic pet care supplies like collars and leads to get you back on your feet, we are here for the pets and people of Victoria – now and in the months to come.”
“Whether it’s food, water, shelter, property visits or basic pet care supplies like collars and leads to get you back on your feet, we are here for the pets and people of Victoria – now and in the months to come.”
This is Luke Henriques-Gomes taking over from Amy Corderoy. Thanks to Amy for all her work.
This is Luke Henriques-Gomes taking over from Amy Corderoy. Thanks to Amy for all her work.
Here is a statement from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
Here is a statement from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a warning of damaging winds gusting up to 90kmh for more or less everywhere along the NSW coast from the Hunter all the way to the Victorian border.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a warning of damaging winds gusting up to 90kmh for more or less everywhere along the NSW coast from the Hunter all the way to the Victorian border.
Canberra’s airport has reopened, but only Qantas is operating, with a limited service, AAP reports. Virgin and Singapore Airlines have cancelled flights for the rest of the day. But the ACT chief minister, Andrew Barr, has urged people to avoid the airport, so it’s unclear how many people will actually be flying. “If you have a flight booked it’s best to stay where you are and to contact your airline for updates on your flight schedule,” Barr said.
Canberra’s airport has reopened, but only Qantas is operating, with a limited service, AAP reports. Virgin and Singapore Airlines have cancelled flights for the rest of the day. But the ACT chief minister, Andrew Barr, has urged people to avoid the airport, so it’s unclear how many people will actually be flying. “If you have a flight booked it’s best to stay where you are and to contact your airline for updates on your flight schedule,” Barr said.
Most of the attention has been on NSW today, but there are also dangerous fires still burning in Victoria. The Buldah fire near the border is now at Watch & Act.
The South Coast Register is reporting that a grass fire has approached to within 200m of Moruya hospital. That’s on the south bank of the Moruya River - the RFS site is showing the fire has crossed the river.
Three US residents have died in NSW when a C-130 water bombing aeroplane crashed today.
Canberra airport has been closed for long periods of the day, and parts of the ACT choked with toxic black smoke, due to the bushfires burning there. Thankfully, the Beard fire has been downgraded to “watch and act”.
However, the ACT Emergency Services Agency website is still down. Emergency information can be found on its social media accounts, or via ABC local radio.
People in NSW and the ACT have been asked to conserve energy until 8pm tonight because of pressure “extreme weather” is taking on the grid. Energy-saving measures include not setting your air-conditioner above 24C, and turning off unnecessary appliances.
There are currently 3 fires in NSW at emergency level.
In Victoria, Melbourne has been blanketed in brown rain and play at the Australian Open has been pushed back due to the weather.
Government buildings in Canberra are being told to turn down the air-con to help ease the load on the grid in NSW and the ACT.
Public servants were told that “extreme weather conditions” necessitated the power-saving measures be put in place until 7pm tonight. This includes:
Increasing temperature settings
Turning off unused equipment and lighting
Closing blinds to keep rooms cooler
Encouraging staff to continue these practices once they leave work.
Good news out of Canberra. The Beard fire has been downgraded from emergency alert to watch and act status. Residents in the suburbs of Beard, Oaks Estate, and Crestwood are now being advised to stay indoors to avoid hazardous smoke and to avoid the area if they’re not already there. Those in Pialligo and the Brindabella Business Park should monitor conditions, stay up-to-date, and follow police directions to safely exit the area.
“The fire is burning within containment lines close to Beard, Harman and Oaks Estate. The fire is currently 424 hectares in size,” the emergency services agency said. “Firefighters are on scene. Helicopters are water-bombing and providing aerial surveillance.”
The ESA has also sent out a bit more information about its website, which is still down, making it hard for residents to access critical information about the fires. It says the error is due to their website service provider Amazon. The problem is affecting the ESA and Amazon’s other clients. “We are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible,” the ESA said. “Please continue to stay up to date via ESA Facebook and local media.”
We’ve just heard from ACT emergency services agency commissioner Georgeina Whelan, who held a press conference in Canberra.
She said the Beard fire – the product of two fires that have merged in the area near the ACT-NSW border – is still burning out of control and is 425 hectares in size. But there’s some positive news.
“It is burning within containment lines, which is very good news,” she said.
“We are aware that you are concerned about the smoke that is emanating from the fire, that is because of the recycling centre at Beard ... it is producing dangerous levels of smoke which are also reducing visibility and air quality.”
Whelan also spoke about the problems with the ESA website, which have taken it offline for some users. She says the issue is affecting other websites, not just the ESA, and tells people to follow the ESA on Facebook and listen to its updates on ABC radio Canberra.
RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons has confirmed that all three people who died in the downed C-130 this afternoon were American residents.
Fitzsimmons said their deaths will impact fire fighters world-wide.
“The firefighting fraternity, as we keep saying, is a tight-knit family, a fairly small family, and the crew on board were well known, not just to their colleagues here inAustralia, but we’re reminded that a number of our US colleagues that are embedded in some of the incident management teams now, including in the high country, actually had personal relationships with them,” he said.
Fire authorities have no idea what caused the water-bombing C-130 plane to crash suddenly this afternoon, RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons says.
“We simply lost contract with the machine and the flight tracker we used stopped,” he said. “There is no indication at this stage of what’s caused the accident.”
He has acknowledged that the grounding of the large air tankers is likely to impact fire-fighting capabilities on the ground in NSW.
