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Australia fires: NSW premier announces state of emergency amid extreme bushfire danger – live Australia fires: NSW premier announces state of emergency amid extreme bushfires danger – live
(32 minutes later)
All of New South Wales, South Australia, large parts of Queensland, and northern Victoria have been placed under a total fire ban on Thursday with extreme weather forecast. Follow the latest news and updatesAll of New South Wales, South Australia, large parts of Queensland, and northern Victoria have been placed under a total fire ban on Thursday with extreme weather forecast. Follow the latest news and updates
The RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said the conditions would remain “very serious and dangerous” over the coming days, and the forecast is that Saturday “will be even worse”. It’s 9.30am right now in Penrith in western Sydney, and thankfully, still cool. The suburb is forecast to hit 45C today, and 46C on Saturday.
“While we still have fires burning effectively from the Queensland border right down to the south coast of New South Wales, the worst of the fire weather conditions, the extreme fire danger ratings we are expecting today, are centred around the greater Sydney, the Illawarra Shoalhaven area under southern ranges,” she said. It’s the next two or three hours that will hurt, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Right now, it’s a breezy 26.2C. By 11am, that will rise to 39C. 13C over 2 hours.
Fitzsimmons said the fire burning between Batemans Bay and Ulladulla is “likely to impact communities” in those areas today. He said another fire burning to Sydney’s south-west effectively spans from Picton in south-west to the town of Oberon in the west. But the haze and bushfire smoke is already thick. Here, we’re only about 30km from the southernmost edge of the huge Gospers Mountain megafire, burning through the Blue Mountains. Smoke from the 400,000 hectare blaze is rolling down in waves.
The NSW ambulance commissioner Dominic Morgan says paramedics have seen a 10% increase in call-outs for patients suffering respiratory conditions in the last week amid what he called “remarkable” conditions.
He said people with respiratory conditions “need to be very vigilant”.
“It can be a life-threatening condition,” he said. “Just this morning, I became aware of a three-year-old who had such a severe asthma attack that they were unable to speak.”
Air quality in much of NSW is rated from poor to hazardous on Thursday.
From a protest outside the prime minister’s Sydney residence at Kirribilli this morning. They’re unhappy at Scott Morrison’s absence during bushfire crisis.
What does a state of emergency actually mean?
It allows powers to be transferred from the NSW government to the Rural Fire Service commissioner.
Those powers include:
The power to direct any NSW government agency to conduct or refrain from conducting its functions
Control and coordinate the allocation of government resources
Evacuate people from property within the declared area
Close roads and thoroughfares to traffic
Pull down or shore up infrastructure at risk of collapse
Order the shutdown of essential utilities in the declared area, including electricity, gas, oil and water
Enter or take possession of property in the course of the emergency response.
That press conference with the the NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, and the RFS commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, has now ended.
Just to reiterate, the premier announced a state of emergency for NSW for the next seven days amid “unpredictable” weather conditions that are causing extreme fire danger across much of the state today and later in the week.
Fitzsimmons said there were three major fires he was concerned about. All three are burning near residential populations, and he said there was a risk communities could be impacted today.
They are the Currowan fire on the state’s south coast near Batemans Bay and Ulladulla, the Gospers Mountain fire which stretches through the Central Coast to Lithgow, and the Ruined Castle fire which stretches from Picton in Sydney’s south-west through the Blue Mountains and into the state’s west.
Both the Gospers Mountain and Green Wattle Creek fire are burning at “watch and act” this morning. All other fires are at “advice”.
Shane Fitzsimmons continues, saying he’s picking up a sense of “despair” in firefighters.
He said the fires had a psychological impact on firefighters:
Shane Fitzsimmons has been asked whether he’s confident that RFS volunteers are appropriately equipped and resourced. He says he’s “extremely confident”:
That question follows reports of firefighters crowdfunding for smoke masks.
The RFS commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, said conditions would remain “very serious and dangerous” over the coming days, and the forecast was that Saturday “will be even worse”.
“While we still have fires burning effectively from the Queensland border right down to the south coast of New South Wales, the worst of the fire weather conditions, the extreme fire danger ratings we are expecting today, are centred around the greater Sydney, the Illawarra/Shoalhaven area under southern ranges,” he said.
Fitzsimmons said the fire burning between Batemans Bay and Ulladulla was “likely to impact communities” in those areas today. He said another fire burning to Sydney’s south-west effectively spanned from Picton in south-west to the town of Oberon in the west.
“That southern exposure is quite at risk for communities,” he said.“That southern exposure is quite at risk for communities,” he said.
Berejiklian made the announcement at a press conference just a moment ago. She acknowledged it could mean issues for people travelling over the Christmas period. “We want everybody to be together with their families and enjoy the time and be safe, but please be aware that the state of emergency might mean extra diversions, extra road closures. It might mean if you are using the roads that you are delayed, or in fact your plans have to change,” she said. Gladys Berejiklian made the announcement at a press conference just a moment ago. She acknowledged it could mean problems for people travelling over the Christmas period. “We want everybody to be together with their families and enjoy the time and be safe, but please be aware that the state of emergency might mean extra diversions, extra road closures,” she said. “It might mean if you are using the roads that you are delayed, or in fact your plans have to change.”
She said the “biggest concern” was the unpredictability of the weather patterns “with extreme wind conditions [and] extremely hot temperatures”. She said the “biggest concern” was the unpredictability of the weather patterns “with extreme wind conditions [and] extremely hot temperatures”:
“We don’t take these declarations lightly. We only take them when the conditions are so severe that we want everybody to be alert. We want to ensure Commissioner Fitzsimmons has all the authority legally and all the powers that he has to ensure that he can take any decision to protect life and property, and I just want to thank everybody for their understanding of their patience. The New South Wales premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has announced a state of emergency for the next seven days.
“I appreciate that for many families this could be a disruptive period, but we ask everybody to ... be sensible, to be cautious and also to expect, when they are on the roads, they should expect delays. She said she had made the decision after the advice from the Rural Fire Service commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, and that she was concerned about the “unpredictability” of the weather.
“They should expect perhaps to reach their destination later than expected, but also perhaps have to change their plans depending on what happens over the next few days.”
The New South Wales Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has announced a state of emergency for the next seven days.
She said she’d made the decision after the advice from the Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons, and that she was concerned about the “unpredictability” of the weather.
It is the second time in just over a month that NSW has been under a state of emergency due to the extreme weather.It is the second time in just over a month that NSW has been under a state of emergency due to the extreme weather.
Smoke on the radars.Smoke on the radars.
High temperatures are forecast across most of the south-east of Australia today, including in Victoria and South Australia.High temperatures are forecast across most of the south-east of Australia today, including in Victoria and South Australia.
Victoria’s emergency management commissioner, Andrew Crisp, told the ABC it was “a tale of two states” with mild weather to the south but extremely hot weather in the state’s north around Swan Hill and Mildura.Victoria’s emergency management commissioner, Andrew Crisp, told the ABC it was “a tale of two states” with mild weather to the south but extremely hot weather in the state’s north around Swan Hill and Mildura.
Crisp said there had been reports of poor air quality in the eastern half of the Victoria as a result of fires in Gippsland in the north-east and also from New South Wales. Crisp said there had been reports of poor air quality in the eastern half of the Victoria as a result of fires in Gippsland in the north-east and also from NSW.
South Australian emergency services minister Corey Wingard said there had been reports of temperatures of close to 50 degrees in the northern part of the state this week. South Australia’s emergency services minister, Corey Wingard, said there had been reports of temperatures of close to 50 degrees in the northern part of the state this week.
“It is extreme, really hot, and that does focus people on making sure they are looking after each other and their neighbours, so across the state everyone is feeling it,” Wingard said.“It is extreme, really hot, and that does focus people on making sure they are looking after each other and their neighbours, so across the state everyone is feeling it,” Wingard said.
While Tuesday was Australia’s hottest day on record, with an average of 40.9C across the country, it’s possible today could get even hotter.While Tuesday was Australia’s hottest day on record, with an average of 40.9C across the country, it’s possible today could get even hotter.
Temperatures in parts of NSW and the ACT are expected to exceed 40C through to Saturday, while in the western half of the state the mercury could top 45C.Temperatures in parts of NSW and the ACT are expected to exceed 40C through to Saturday, while in the western half of the state the mercury could top 45C.
Sydney’s CBD is expected to hit a top of 40C, while Penrith has the dubious honour of being the city’s hottest location, with temperatures forecast to reach 45 degrees.Sydney’s CBD is expected to hit a top of 40C, while Penrith has the dubious honour of being the city’s hottest location, with temperatures forecast to reach 45 degrees.
Further north and west it’s likely to be just as hot. Cessnock in the Hunter Valley is expected to reach 45C, as are many towns in the west that are dealing with water shortages.Further north and west it’s likely to be just as hot. Cessnock in the Hunter Valley is expected to reach 45C, as are many towns in the west that are dealing with water shortages.
Sydney has again woken up to a thick blanket of smoke from bushfires burning to the west. It has become an increasingly common sight this summer.Sydney has again woken up to a thick blanket of smoke from bushfires burning to the west. It has become an increasingly common sight this summer.
The Department of Planning and Environment has predicted “poor” air quality for Thursday, which could worsen as the day progresses.The Department of Planning and Environment has predicted “poor” air quality for Thursday, which could worsen as the day progresses.
The RFS has warned that three major fires pose the biggest risk on Thursday. They are:The RFS has warned that three major fires pose the biggest risk on Thursday. They are:
The Currowan fire burning near Batemans Bay and Ulladulla on the state’s south coastThe Currowan fire burning near Batemans Bay and Ulladulla on the state’s south coast
The Green Wattle Creek fire burning near Picton and Ruined Castle fire near the Megalong ValleyThe Green Wattle Creek fire burning near Picton and Ruined Castle fire near the Megalong Valley
The Gospers Mountain fire burning near Kurrajong Heights, Bowen Mountain, communities on Bells Line of Road, Lithgow, and Cullen BullenThe Gospers Mountain fire burning near Kurrajong Heights, Bowen Mountain, communities on Bells Line of Road, Lithgow, and Cullen Bullen
As of Thursday morning the Gospers Mountain fire, which has already burned through 411,900 hectares, is rated as watch and act while the other two are at the advice level.As of Thursday morning the Gospers Mountain fire, which has already burned through 411,900 hectares, is rated as watch and act while the other two are at the advice level.
The RFS has warned those communities may come under threat on Thursday from embers or fire fronts. Conditions are then forecast to worsen again on Saturday. A state-wide total fire ban is in place in NSW.The RFS has warned those communities may come under threat on Thursday from embers or fire fronts. Conditions are then forecast to worsen again on Saturday. A state-wide total fire ban is in place in NSW.
Good morning,Good morning,
The Rural Fire Service has issued “extreme” fire danger warnings for the Sydney, Illawarra/Shoalhaven and southern ranges regions on Thursday, with three “significant fires” in those areas posing “extreme to severe fire danger”.The Rural Fire Service has issued “extreme” fire danger warnings for the Sydney, Illawarra/Shoalhaven and southern ranges regions on Thursday, with three “significant fires” in those areas posing “extreme to severe fire danger”.
The RFS has are also warned there remain “broad areas of severe and very high fire danger” across northern, eastern and southern parts of the state.The RFS has are also warned there remain “broad areas of severe and very high fire danger” across northern, eastern and southern parts of the state.
A statewide total fire ban is in place on Thursday as more than 100 fires continue to burn across NSW. The RFS said on Wednesday that conditions would be dangerous due to high temperatures, strong and gusty winds and low humidity.A statewide total fire ban is in place on Thursday as more than 100 fires continue to burn across NSW. The RFS said on Wednesday that conditions would be dangerous due to high temperatures, strong and gusty winds and low humidity.
Temperatures in the state and the ACT are expected to exceed 40C through to Saturday, while in the western half of the state the mercury could top 45C.Temperatures in the state and the ACT are expected to exceed 40C through to Saturday, while in the western half of the state the mercury could top 45C.
On Wednesday the premier, Gladys Berejiklian, warned firefighters would face an “enormous challenge” for the rest of the week, with the potential for “exceedingly concerning” winds to blow embers well ahead of fire fronts.On Wednesday the premier, Gladys Berejiklian, warned firefighters would face an “enormous challenge” for the rest of the week, with the potential for “exceedingly concerning” winds to blow embers well ahead of fire fronts.
“Not only are we going to experience very high temperatures on Thursday and Saturday but there’s the exceedingly concerning wind conditions,” she told reporters on Wednesday.“Not only are we going to experience very high temperatures on Thursday and Saturday but there’s the exceedingly concerning wind conditions,” she told reporters on Wednesday.
“We’re going to have a number of wind fronts escalating the fuel, the fires burning, and the potential to have spot fires and embers travelling very long distances.”“We’re going to have a number of wind fronts escalating the fuel, the fires burning, and the potential to have spot fires and embers travelling very long distances.”