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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/dec/16/nsw-braces-for-severe-heatwave-as-bushfire-threatens-blue-mountains-homes
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| NSW braces for severe heatwave as bushfire threatens Blue Mountains homes | NSW braces for severe heatwave as bushfire threatens Blue Mountains homes |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Reports of properties burnt as New South Wales prepares for hot weather and continuing fires | Reports of properties burnt as New South Wales prepares for hot weather and continuing fires |
| New South Wales is preparing for severe heatwave conditions in the coming week after an emergency warning was issued for the major Gospers Mountain blaze on Sunday afternoon. | New South Wales is preparing for severe heatwave conditions in the coming week after an emergency warning was issued for the major Gospers Mountain blaze on Sunday afternoon. |
| By Monday morning, the fire was downgraded to“watch and act” level after firefighters worked overnight to contain the blaze around Mount Wilson, Mount Tomah and Berambing, but there are fears a number of homes and buildings have been lost. | |
| In Western Australia, an emergency warning was in place on Monday for areas north of Perth, where a fire has been burning out of control for six days. | |
| The fire is still threatening lives and homes at Woodridge, Seatrees and Breakwater Estates. It has destroyed almost 13,000 hectares and is and being battled by more than 300 firefighters.“Forecast weather conditions mean there is still a high risk of flare-ups as winds strengthen,” the WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services said on Monday. Meanwhile, an emergency warning for another fire at Mogumber, also north of Perth, has been downgraded to a watch and act. | |
| In NSW, conditions will worsen this week, with heatwave conditions set to descend across the state and the Australian Capital Territory from Wednesday onwards. | |
| Across Thursday, Friday and Saturday, nearly the entire state of NSW will be sweltering under a severe heatwave, with patches of extreme heatwave conditions. | |
| On Thursday, Sydney’s city is set for a high of 36C, with smoke haze. In Penrith in the city’s west, it will be even hotter, at 43C. | |
| In Canberra, it is forecast to reach 41C on Thursday. If reached, that would break the record for the capital’s highest December temperature, set at 39.2C in December 1994. | |
| It will be even hotter on Saturday, with a forecast of 43C. | |
| In Sydney on Saturday, it will reach 34C in the city, and 46C in Penrith. | |
| Overall, every day from Tuesday to Sunday will be over 30C for the western Sydney suburb. | |
| But on Monday, conditions eased, if only briefly after the weekend. | |
| The NSW Rural Fire Service said fire activity had “reduced” around the Gospers Mountain blaze, and “there is currently no immediate threat”. | |
| The fireground stretches from the Lithgow area in the west, through the Hawkesbury area and towards the Central Coast in the east. | The fireground stretches from the Lithgow area in the west, through the Hawkesbury area and towards the Central Coast in the east. |
| But authorities have warned there’s a risk that embers from the fire could fall in the Bilpin area, starting new blazes ahead of the main fire front. | But authorities have warned there’s a risk that embers from the fire could fall in the Bilpin area, starting new blazes ahead of the main fire front. |
| So far the fire has burned through almost 380,000 hectares. | So far the fire has burned through almost 380,000 hectares. |
| On Sunday an emergency warning was issued for Gospers Mountain and there were reports some properties had been lost in the Mount Tomah and Mount Wilson areas. | On Sunday an emergency warning was issued for Gospers Mountain and there were reports some properties had been lost in the Mount Tomah and Mount Wilson areas. |
| A home at Mount Wilson was lost and several sheds and buildings at Mount Tomah were destroyed, the Daily Telegraph reported on Monday. | A home at Mount Wilson was lost and several sheds and buildings at Mount Tomah were destroyed, the Daily Telegraph reported on Monday. |
| With 110 fires burning in the state the RFS is concerned about conditions from Wednesday onwards. | With 110 fires burning in the state the RFS is concerned about conditions from Wednesday onwards. |
| “There’s going to be a lot of work going on over the next 24 hours to try and just see what we can do to protect as many properties as we can, but people should be under no illusions,” the RFS deputy commissioner, Rob Rogers, said on Sunday night. | “There’s going to be a lot of work going on over the next 24 hours to try and just see what we can do to protect as many properties as we can, but people should be under no illusions,” the RFS deputy commissioner, Rob Rogers, said on Sunday night. |
| “We’re going to have to get through this next week of really hot weather with these fires being very active.” | “We’re going to have to get through this next week of really hot weather with these fires being very active.” |
| Total fire bans are in place for Monday for the Central Ranges, the north-western area, northern slopes and New England region where the fire danger rating has been set at “severe”. | Total fire bans are in place for Monday for the Central Ranges, the north-western area, northern slopes and New England region where the fire danger rating has been set at “severe”. |
| Six people have died and 2.7m hectares have been scorched so far this fire season. Some 724 homes, 49 facilities and 1,582 outbuildings have been destroyed. | Six people have died and 2.7m hectares have been scorched so far this fire season. Some 724 homes, 49 facilities and 1,582 outbuildings have been destroyed. |