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| WA, NSW and Qld bushfires: properties lost in Gospers Mountain fire - as it happened | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Up to 20 properties lost in Blue Mountains as megafire burns outside Sydney, while fires also threaten communities in Western Australia and Queensland | |
| NSW | |
| About 2,000 firefighters are currently fighting more 108 active bushfires in NSW. | |
| Up to 20 building, including homes, are believed to have been destroyed when firefighters lost control of a backburn at the Gospers Mountain fire, northwest of Sdyney. | |
| Emergency warnings remain in place for the 396,000 hectare Gospers Mountain fire, which is burning in the Wollemi National Park. | |
| The fire is burning on multiple fronts. Warnings were issued to 24 communities and localities and six more have already been burned through. It’s now burning on boths ides of Bells Line Road. | |
| Residents in Wallerawang, Lidsdale, and Blackmans Flat were told on Monday evening to seek shelter as the fire approached because it was too late to leave. Greenpeace has warned that Blackmans Flat was “immediately adjacent” to the Mount Piper Power Station, which has coal stockpiled. | |
| About 450 houses in the upper Blue Mountains were without power on Monday because of the bushfires. | |
| An emergency warning also remains in place for Palmers Oaky, near Lithgow, where a fire is burning west of the Castlereagh Highway. It’s about 40km west of the Gospers Mountain fire. | |
| The Kerry Ridge fire, a 52,000 hectare fire in the Wollemi National Park, Putty State Forest and Coricudgy state forest, is burning toward Nullo Mountain and Bogee. Those areas have also been placed under an emergency warning. It could merge with the 23,000 hectare Paddock Run fire, the RFS warned. | |
| Statewide, 742 homes have been destroyed since the fire season began. | |
| Western Australia | |
| Authorities are expected to downgrade an emergency warning for a fire burning north of Yanchep. Authorities managed to prevent the 13,000 hectare fire from entering residential estates in the area and saved 6,000 homes. One home and a petrol station were lost. | |
| Queensland | |
| Residents in the small regional community of Mount Maria, 75km north of Bundaberg, were told to evacuate because of an out of control bushfire burning towards Lowmead. | |
| An evacuation warning was also issued for a separate fire burning out of control near Gregory, south of Bundaberg. | |
| The RFS have issued a new emergency warning for areas near Muswellbrook. | The RFS have issued a new emergency warning for areas near Muswellbrook. |
| That brings the number of emergency warnings currently active in NSW to three. | That brings the number of emergency warnings currently active in NSW to three. |
| Heat records across Australia could tumble this week, with forecast tops of 44C in Adelaide on Friday, 41C in Melbourne on Friday, and 43C in Canberra on Saturday. | Heat records across Australia could tumble this week, with forecast tops of 44C in Adelaide on Friday, 41C in Melbourne on Friday, and 43C in Canberra on Saturday. |
| Areas of inland South Australia are forecast to have five consecutive days of 45C or hotter, with three consecutive days of 47C and above. | Areas of inland South Australia are forecast to have five consecutive days of 45C or hotter, with three consecutive days of 47C and above. |
| The SA heat record is 49.2C, which was recorded in Moomba in 1972. Temperatures are expected to reach those levels. | The SA heat record is 49.2C, which was recorded in Moomba in 1972. Temperatures are expected to reach those levels. |
| Bureau of Meteorology climatologist Dr Blair Trewin told AAP: | Bureau of Meteorology climatologist Dr Blair Trewin told AAP: |
| Emergency warning for Yanchep expected to be lifted soon | Emergency warning for Yanchep expected to be lifted soon |
| Fire authorities in Western Australia are hoping to downgrade the emergency warning for the bushfire burning near Yanchep later this afternoon, to allow residents to begin returning home. | Fire authorities in Western Australia are hoping to downgrade the emergency warning for the bushfire burning near Yanchep later this afternoon, to allow residents to begin returning home. |
| John Newman, the incident controller of the Yanchep fire with the department of fire and emergency services, told ABC radio in Perth that he hoped that calmer weather conditions would mean that the warning level for Woodridge, Seatrees and Breakwater Estates could be lifted. | John Newman, the incident controller of the Yanchep fire with the department of fire and emergency services, told ABC radio in Perth that he hoped that calmer weather conditions would mean that the warning level for Woodridge, Seatrees and Breakwater Estates could be lifted. |
| “As soon as we have confirmation that conditions are safe we will be looking at downgrading the alert levels,” he said. | “As soon as we have confirmation that conditions are safe we will be looking at downgrading the alert levels,” he said. |
| “We are very keen to reduce (warning) levels there and get people back in.” | “We are very keen to reduce (warning) levels there and get people back in.” |
| Newman said there was still an area of unburned bush heading toward Woodridge estate. If fire were to get into that bushland, he said, it “could well run into the community”. | Newman said there was still an area of unburned bush heading toward Woodridge estate. If fire were to get into that bushland, he said, it “could well run into the community”. |
| The fire started on Wednesday and destroyed one home and a service station, as well as 13,000ha of bushland. | The fire started on Wednesday and destroyed one home and a service station, as well as 13,000ha of bushland. |
| Newman said firefighters managed to save 6,000 homes. | Newman said firefighters managed to save 6,000 homes. |
| “The fire started under very fire-favourable conditions and it was an excellent example for us of how quickly they can get up and how far they can run,” he said. | “The fire started under very fire-favourable conditions and it was an excellent example for us of how quickly they can get up and how far they can run,” he said. |
| “I haven’t seen fire behaviour like this in early December at any time in my career.” | “I haven’t seen fire behaviour like this in early December at any time in my career.” |
| A bushfire near Collie, in south-west WA, has jumped containment lines. | A bushfire near Collie, in south-west WA, has jumped containment lines. |
| A watch and act alert has been issued for surrounding residents. About 70 firefighters are currently trying to get the fire back behind containment lines. | A watch and act alert has been issued for surrounding residents. About 70 firefighters are currently trying to get the fire back behind containment lines. |
| Two schools in NSW will be closed tomorrow due to bushfires. | Two schools in NSW will be closed tomorrow due to bushfires. |
| Bilpin public school, near Lithgow, will be closed due to the Gospers Mountain fire and Oakdale public school, on the eastern edge of the Blue Mountains, will also be closed. | Bilpin public school, near Lithgow, will be closed due to the Gospers Mountain fire and Oakdale public school, on the eastern edge of the Blue Mountains, will also be closed. |
| The Bobin and Wytaliba public schools burned down last month. | The Bobin and Wytaliba public schools burned down last month. |
| The emergency warning remains in place for the Gospers Mountain fire. | The emergency warning remains in place for the Gospers Mountain fire. |
| Craig Spencer from the Bindoon bushfire brigade in WA has described the search for a 12-year-old boy who drove the farm ute across paddocks to escape an out-of-control bushfire at Mogumber yesterday. | Craig Spencer from the Bindoon bushfire brigade in WA has described the search for a 12-year-old boy who drove the farm ute across paddocks to escape an out-of-control bushfire at Mogumber yesterday. |
| The boy, named Lucas, was reported missing by his brother while the fire was under an emergency warning on Sunday afternoon. They began a search but could not find him. One hour later, Spencer said, Lucas pulled up alongside firefighters on the northern flank of the blaze, looking terrified and with his dog in the car. | The boy, named Lucas, was reported missing by his brother while the fire was under an emergency warning on Sunday afternoon. They began a search but could not find him. One hour later, Spencer said, Lucas pulled up alongside firefighters on the northern flank of the blaze, looking terrified and with his dog in the car. |
| Spencer told ABC24: | Spencer told ABC24: |
| They gently prodded him to the passenger seat and drove the ute to the roadblock, where police took charge of him and helped him find his family. | They gently prodded him to the passenger seat and drove the ute to the roadblock, where police took charge of him and helped him find his family. |
| We will get an update from the Western Australian fire and rescue service about the Yanchep, Two Rocks and Woodridge bushfire in about half an hour. There’s a press conference scheduled for 3.30pm local time in Gingin, an hour north of Perth. | We will get an update from the Western Australian fire and rescue service about the Yanchep, Two Rocks and Woodridge bushfire in about half an hour. There’s a press conference scheduled for 3.30pm local time in Gingin, an hour north of Perth. |
| Meanwhile, this is the Yanchep service station. | Meanwhile, this is the Yanchep service station. |
| And a note left behind in Two Rocks. | And a note left behind in Two Rocks. |