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Australia fires: emergency warning issued for Shoalhaven bushfires in NSW – live Australia fires: emergency warning issued for Shoalhaven bushfires in NSW – 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 scariest bit is when it turns purple, and you realise they had to put a colour code hotter than fire-engine red... Forget climate change — let’s talk about exploding horse manure
Yes. Michael McCormack, deputy prime minister of Australia, would like inner-city Greenies to know that while climate change may be a factor in the worsening bushfire risk, so too is exploding horse manure.
This is not actually as ridiculous as it sounds. Spontaneous combustion of hay sheds on very hot days is not unheard of, and horse manure, when dried, is basically compacted smelly hay. Spontaneously combusting manure piles is a recognised barn fire hazard, according to the 3 minutes of Googling I just did. Of course, in Australia, horse manure generally lies in the paddock and crumbles into dust pretty quickly. Anyway.
This is what McCormack said, in full, via my colleague Naaman Zhou.
Last month, McCormack said that blaming climate change on bushfires was “inner-city Greenies ravings”. He said today that those comments had been misreported, that he did not say the link between climate change and bushfires was “inner-city ravings,” and that the ravings were actually comments stating that prime minister Scott Morrison was responsible for the fatal bushfires.
McCormack:
Glad that’s cleared up.
‘Adani is going ahead’: McCormack
Today is apparently a good day to talk about increasing Australia’s coal exports. That will be one of Scott Morrison’s aims when he visits India next month, acting PM Michael McCormack told reporters today, which could include talks to advance the Indian-owned Adani coalmine.
McCormack:
McCormack was then asked the obvious question: you’re talking about coal exports while standing in the incident control centre for a statewide bushfire emergency. What about the link between climate change and bushfires?
His answer is going to need another post.
McCormack to climate protesters: ‘Go and do something productive’
Deputy prime minister Michael McCormack, who is acting PM while Scott Morrison is overseas, has confirmed that Morrison will be back at work on Monday. As in, he is returning to work the day before Christmas eve.
This morning, hundreds of protestors camped outside Kirribilli House, angry at Morrison’s absence and lack of leadership during the bushfire crisis.
Speaking to the protesters through reporters at the RFS state control centre, McCormack said:
McCormack said there was no need for Morrison to return home early, despite NSW declaring a state of emergency and expecting some of its hottest days on record.
Does McCormack think Morrison has shown leadership on the fires?
I’m sure we’d all like examples. McCormack provides:
The southern highlands train line is not operating between Moss Vale and Campbelltown because of bushfire. The fire crossed the railway line near Balmoral.
A replacement bus service is being organised but if you can put off or avoid travel, it’s recommended you do so.
The scariest bit is when it turns purple, and you realise they had to put a colour code hotter than fire-engine red ...
NSW Health has provided this advice on how you can keep yourself safe in the heat.NSW Health has provided this advice on how you can keep yourself safe in the heat.
This just in from Mark Greenhill, the Blue Mountains mayor, who has written about his fury at watching the devastation unfolding around him:This just in from Mark Greenhill, the Blue Mountains mayor, who has written about his fury at watching the devastation unfolding around him:
Visibility in NSW continues to worsen. Here is some satellite vision of the smoke on the east coast of NSW.Visibility in NSW continues to worsen. Here is some satellite vision of the smoke on the east coast of NSW.
More on the Green Wattle Creek fire: the Illawarra Mercury reports multiple houses alight.More on the Green Wattle Creek fire: the Illawarra Mercury reports multiple houses alight.
The Green Wattle Creek fire is worsening. It is now too late to leave in Buxton, Couridjah, Thirlmere and Tahmoor.The Green Wattle Creek fire is worsening. It is now too late to leave in Buxton, Couridjah, Thirlmere and Tahmoor.
The fire has crossed the railway line near Balmoral.The fire has crossed the railway line near Balmoral.
A lot of sad and scary fire news around today, so please take a brief emotional break and enjoy this picture of a koala in a bucket.A lot of sad and scary fire news around today, so please take a brief emotional break and enjoy this picture of a koala in a bucket.
The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has just gone on radio station 2GB to discuss her declaration that NSW is now in a state of emergency. She said that while today was extremely concerning, authorities were most worried about conditions on Saturday.The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has just gone on radio station 2GB to discuss her declaration that NSW is now in a state of emergency. She said that while today was extremely concerning, authorities were most worried about conditions on Saturday.
“The temperatures will be higher, and the wind turbulence more severe,” she said.“The temperatures will be higher, and the wind turbulence more severe,” she said.
After the recent public outcry about resourcing for fire services, Berejiklian stated that they were well equipped to manage the coming days.After the recent public outcry about resourcing for fire services, Berejiklian stated that they were well equipped to manage the coming days.
“We have everything we need, we have the resources on the ground, but what we don’t have is a crystal ball in relation to these conditions,” she said.“We have everything we need, we have the resources on the ground, but what we don’t have is a crystal ball in relation to these conditions,” she said.
But she asked that people heed health and safety warnings.But she asked that people heed health and safety warnings.
The NSW government has responded to the fire emergency by announcing an increase in demerit points for drivers who throw lit cigarettes out vehicle windows.
In a media release, the minister for police and emergency services, David Elliott, said if a driver commits the offence during a total fire ban the penalty will double to from five to 10 demerit points, and a fine of up to $11,000.
The minister for transport and roads, Andrew Constance, said more than 200 people had been caught carelessly tossing a lit cigarette this year alone.
The Green Wattle Creek fire is moving quickly towards the southern highlands village of Balmoral. The RFS advises it is now too late to leave Balmoral and people should seek shelter.
Fires in the Shoalhaven LGA are getting worse. It is now too late to leave in Jerrawangola and Wandandian.
Scroll down our coverage to see the view from Vincentia beach.
The smoke is really starting to overtake Sydney. Here is a tweet from the Bureau of Meteorology only two hours ago showing the smoke on the radar, compared with the radar now:
“In Sydney we’ve just been watching the visibility deteriorate,” says Gabrielle Woodhouse from the bureau.
For many people from NSW and Australia, Jervis Bay and its surrounds are synonymous with Australian summer holidays. Today the view from the beach in Vincentia is terrifying.
Hi, it’s Amy Corderoy taking over from Michael McGowan ...
NSW paramedics are bracing for more heat and fire-related emergencies, warning vulnerable people to be vigilant and protect themselves today.
There has already been a 10% increase in calls for patients with respiratory conditions over the past week as bushfire smoke causes dangerous conditions, AAP reports. Young children and elderly people are also at risk.
An additional 187 extra paramedics will be on duty to help tackle the “quite remarkable conditions”, says NSW Ambulance’s chief executive, Dominic Morgan.
He said anyone in a “vulnerable group” such as the elderly or very young needed a plan to cope with the heat and ensure they stayed well hydrated.
“Just this morning I became aware of a three-year-old who had such a severe asthma attack that they were unable to speak,” Morgan told reporters in Sydney.
Signs of heat exhaustion include dizziness and confusion, headaches, appetite loss, excessive sweating, leg, stomach and arm cramps and thirst.
In a cafe in Penrith, ducking in for a coffee, is Steve, an RFS volunteer in bright yellow vest. Steve works in a nearby fire control centre. He says one of his jobs today is to keep all the firefighters safe from the heat. “Baically the main thing is we ensure all volunteers stay hydrated,” he says. “We tell them they need to drink at least one litre an hour. And regularly rotate crews through the different positions. We have someone doing the really hot stuff and others that aren’t.”I ask him if it’ll be a busy day for him. “Oh yeah. We’ve got extreme fire danger forecast, and numerous fires currently burning, with huge perimeters, so the chances that they become uncontrolled is pretty high.”
We have just updated our interactive map showing the size of the area burned in NSW and Queensland since the start of the fire season.The total area is now 3.1m hectares. If this was a country, it would be the 136th largest – larger than Belgium, and just smaller than Moldova.
The view out in the Oaks near Campbelltown in south-west Sydney this morning.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions has announced it is will push for an urgent upgrade of health workplace health safety conditions to address the risk of working in heat and smoke.
The ACTU secretary, Sally McManus, and assistant secretary Liam O’Brien are announcing the proposal today to regulate exposure to heat and smoke.
The guidelines include advice on how to minimise exposure to heat and smoke pollution and how to recognise serious health risks.