This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2019/dec/20/nsw-fires-near-sydney-melbourne-wa-western-south-australia-weather-forecast-victoria-qld-bushfires-catastrophic-extreme-heatwave-latest-news-live-updates
The article has changed 24 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| NSW and Qld fires: South Australia also faces catastrophic bushfire risk as PM apologises for holiday – live | NSW and Qld fires: South Australia also faces catastrophic bushfire risk as PM apologises for holiday – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Catastrophic bushfire conditions expected for several SA regions, Queensland faces severe fire danger and Melbourne weather forecast for hottest ever December day, as Morrison says he ‘deeply regrets any offence caused’ by holiday. Follow the latest news and updates | Catastrophic bushfire conditions expected for several SA regions, Queensland faces severe fire danger and Melbourne weather forecast for hottest ever December day, as Morrison says he ‘deeply regrets any offence caused’ by holiday. Follow the latest news and updates |
| Yesterday was Adelaide’s hottest night in 11 years, and the hottest night on record for the West Terrace observation site, on the edge of the CBD. | |
| It only cooled to 33.6C degrees – at 10:24pm. At 11pm, it was back up to 37.9C. | |
| It’s already 38.3C there now, as of 8.30am local time. | |
| The RFS has just shared the details of the two volunteers tragically killed last night. | |
| They were 32-year-old deputy captain Geoffrey Keaton, and 36-year old Andrew O’Dwyer. Both were from the Horsley Park brigade. | |
| The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has also just spoken. | |
| “It’s with a heavy heart this morning that we, of course, confirm the deaths of two RFS volunteers overnight,” she said. “It is a tragic blow for their family, for the RFS, extended family and of course for the entire community, and out of respect for those two brave outstanding young men, flags will be at half-mast today throughout the state. | |
| “What the incident overnight demonstrates, which Commissioner Fitzsimmons will give further details on, is how fragile situations can be ... Today milder conditions exist throughout the state but we still have two fire spots – hot spots – that are concerning RFS.” | |
| She says people should check the Fires Near Me app, and live traffic sites. | |
| “The best thing we can do to support our firefighters today, tomorrow especially as conditions will worsen, and across the next few days, is to make sure we take their advice.” | |
| The state’s emergency services minister, David Elliot, adds that it “really is a black armband day for the Rural Fire Service”. | |
| “The loss of these two young men, just dads from western Sydney, is a real tragedy.” | |
| Anthony Albanese has defended Scott Morrison’s holiday, saying it was a personal matter. | |
| “It is a matter for the prime minister,” the opposition leader said. “He made the decision and it is a matter for his judgment when he goes on holiday. | |
| “I think one of the issues has been the lack of information and transparency around this.” | |
| But he said Morrison should retract comments he made earlier in the month, that volunteer firefighters “wanted to be there”. | |
| “He should really retract those comments that he made because it was raised with me on multiple occasions this morning. Those comments are inappropriate. These people don’t want to be out fighting fires.” | |
| Albanese said there should be a more national response, and more support for the state-based volunteer crews. | |
| “We need to do much better at providing that support because this is not business as usual. These are extraordinary fires ... But we need to do much better right now as well.” | |
| NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian and former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull have both expressed their condolences to the families of the two firefighters who died last night. | |
| Scott Morrison has just been interviewed on 2GB radio. | Scott Morrison has just been interviewed on 2GB radio. |
| He says he made the decision to return home “as soon as possible” after the news of the deaths of RFS volunteers overnight. | He says he made the decision to return home “as soon as possible” after the news of the deaths of RFS volunteers overnight. |
| But when asked specifically when he would return, he said he still did not know. Yesterday the acting PM, Michael McCormack, said Morrison was due to return to the PM role on Monday night. | |
| Morrison was just asked when he would return. He said: “We are still trying to arrange that. We are working on that right now.” | Morrison was just asked when he would return. He said: “We are still trying to arrange that. We are working on that right now.” |
| He was also asked whether he understood how Australians could think it odd that news of his leave came while he was not in Australia but already overseas. He said he had been open about the leave. | He was also asked whether he understood how Australians could think it odd that news of his leave came while he was not in Australia but already overseas. He said he had been open about the leave. |
| “Michael [McCormack] stood up as acting PM on Monday,” he said. “I texted Anthony Albanese on Monday saying that Michael would be acting prime minister for the next week.” | |
| He did confirm that he was in Hawaii. “The girls and Jen love holidaying in Hawaii and we’ve had a few nice days here,” he said. | He did confirm that he was in Hawaii. “The girls and Jen love holidaying in Hawaii and we’ve had a few nice days here,” he said. |
| “We spend a lot of time in Australia as well. We had planned to spend it down the south coast but we had to bring it forward due to those commitments in India and Japan. | “We spend a lot of time in Australia as well. We had planned to spend it down the south coast but we had to bring it forward due to those commitments in India and Japan. |
| “That’s what dads try and do when they work hard all year ... That’s all I was trying to do. It’s just unfortunate it came at such an awful time. | “That’s what dads try and do when they work hard all year ... That’s all I was trying to do. It’s just unfortunate it came at such an awful time. |
| “I am pleased to be returning,” he said. | |
| As of this morning, one fire in NSW is still at emergency level, the Green Wattle Creek fire, in the Wollondilly shire. | As of this morning, one fire in NSW is still at emergency level, the Green Wattle Creek fire, in the Wollondilly shire. |
| The huge Gospers Mountain fire, in the Blue Mountains, is at watch and act, after it flared to emergency yesterday. | The huge Gospers Mountain fire, in the Blue Mountains, is at watch and act, after it flared to emergency yesterday. |
| There is still a total fire ban effective across NSW, which lasts until the end of Saturday – and a total fire ban today for SA. | There is still a total fire ban effective across NSW, which lasts until the end of Saturday – and a total fire ban today for SA. |
| Welcome to our continuing coverage of this week’s record-breaking heatwave, and the months-long bushfire crisis. | Welcome to our continuing coverage of this week’s record-breaking heatwave, and the months-long bushfire crisis. |
| In unbearably sad news overnight, two Rural Fire Services volunteer firefighters have been confirmed to have died last night, when their truck overturned near Buxton in south-west Sydney. Three other members of the same crew are injured. | In unbearably sad news overnight, two Rural Fire Services volunteer firefighters have been confirmed to have died last night, when their truck overturned near Buxton in south-west Sydney. Three other members of the same crew are injured. |
| This comes after another crew of five was injured on Thursday afternoon. Two firefighters were airlifted to hospital with serious burns. | This comes after another crew of five was injured on Thursday afternoon. Two firefighters were airlifted to hospital with serious burns. |
| And just this morning, Scott Morrison issued a statement, apologising for “any offence caused” by his personal family leave, taken this week, and saying he will return “as soon as can be arranged”. | And just this morning, Scott Morrison issued a statement, apologising for “any offence caused” by his personal family leave, taken this week, and saying he will return “as soon as can be arranged”. |
| Yesterday, the acting prime minister, Michael McCormack, said Morrison would return to the job on Monday night. | Yesterday, the acting prime minister, Michael McCormack, said Morrison would return to the job on Monday night. |
| On Wednesday, Australia experienced its hottest day on record, breaking the mark previously set on Tuesday. | On Wednesday, Australia experienced its hottest day on record, breaking the mark previously set on Tuesday. |