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Australia fires: NSW, Victoria, SA, Qld and WA all face extreme bushfires risk – live Australia fires: NSW, Victoria, SA, Qld and WA all face extreme bushfires risk – live
(32 minutes later)
Melbourne shrouded in smoke haze from bushfires, catastrophic fire danger forecast for parts of New South Wales, including Greater Sydney, homes feared lost in Adelaide, South Australia and almost 70 fires rage across Queensland. Follow the latest news and updatesMelbourne shrouded in smoke haze from bushfires, catastrophic fire danger forecast for parts of New South Wales, including Greater Sydney, homes feared lost in Adelaide, South Australia and almost 70 fires rage across Queensland. Follow the latest news and updates
Fire authorities have warned motorists to be vigilant, and avoid contributing to congestion in fire-affected areas.
Here is where you can find information on fire-related road closures in your state:
Live Traffic NSW
Traffic SA
Mainroads Western Australia
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ACT City Services
Queensland traffic
Residents in four Victorian towns have been urged to leave their homes immediately as two bushfires rage out-of-control.
A watch-and-act warning was issued on Friday for residents of Dunkeld, Karabeal and Moutajup, about 280km west of Melbourne near the Grampians.
“Don’t wait, leaving now is the safest option - conditions may change and get worse very quickly,” the warning reads.
The bushfire is travelling in a southerly direction towards the Glenelg Highway, prompting road closures.
People are advised not to return home if they are out, to travel to the home of family or friends that are away from the warning area and to take their pets, medication and phones.
Another watch-and-act warning was issued at Brookville, about 390 kilometres northeast of Melbourne.
A wind change is pushing a fire at Marthavale, which has been burning since November 21, in a northerly direction towards the town.
Residents there are also being advised to leave, warning “emergency services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay”.
More than 40 fire trucks are at the scene.
The Marthavale fire is directly west of three fires in the East Gippsland region, where about 500 firefighters from the County Fire Authority are working to contain the blazes and strengthen containment lines.
Our reporter Helen Davidson is on the ground at the firefront:
Aerial support has been going all day, without relief. At least one helicopter, a black hawk, and a skycrane, have been feverishly darting around the ridges and gullies surrounding Balmoral, Buxton, and nearby villages.
To the east of Balmoral, members of the local brigade are watching the support dump tonnes of water on a fire that is refusing to die down.
A couple, who have lived on this picturesque edge of the bush for 20 years, have seen three fires go through, and are staying to defend their home if the blaze just over the Ridgeline gets blown towards them.
“We always defend,” says Justin.
“You can’t leave t up to the firies, they’ve got enough to do.”
This isn’t always advisable, by the way, but Justin and Helena built their house to be certifiably defendable, and had two fire captains come through to check.
It’s been tested - a 2013 fire hit them but the house survived.
I ask how he’s felling about tomorrow.
“It’s going to be bad,” he says.
“If the wind picks up everyone is going to be in trouble. Heat we can manage but wind is what drives the fire. With that southerly that came through yesterday, you saw what happened to Bargo.”
He gestures at three different directions where fires ring the village. No matter what the wind does, it’ll push a fire towards them.
“Buxton is even worse because they’re surrounded.”
As we stand talking, the fire on the ridge kicks up again and a thick plume of black smoke shoots up as a couple of trees start crowning. It’s a long night ahead.
The Gospers Mountain fire will tomorrow move towards the Kurrajong Heights area and up towards the Blue Mountains.
NSW RFS Deputy commissioner Rob Rogers says while the winds wont drive the fire towards the Blue Mountains, the steep terrain will.
“There will be some burning in the far west part of the mountains that is going on tonight to try to protect some of those communities around Blackheath,” he told a press conference on Friday afternoon.
“And that is simply to try to protect as many properties as we can tomorrow for what we know will be a tough day.”
Fire authorities are also working to prevent the Green Wattle fire from heading north, Rogers says.
“We know tomorrow... that fire will start causing us problems again and we will be dealing with that and we will be doing our best to stop it getting across the Hume Highway, because if it gets across the Hume Highway that opens up a whole new front for us.”
More than 800 buildings have now been lost to the NSW fires, with more to come amidst catastrophic conditions tomorrow.More than 800 buildings have now been lost to the NSW fires, with more to come amidst catastrophic conditions tomorrow.
“I think that’s a fairly sure thing that we will lose homes somewhere tomorrow. It would be a miracle if we didn’t,” deputy commissioner Rob Rogers says.“I think that’s a fairly sure thing that we will lose homes somewhere tomorrow. It would be a miracle if we didn’t,” deputy commissioner Rob Rogers says.
The NSW Rural Fire Service has warned people living in catastrophic fire danger areas that they cannot count on the service to arrive in time to save them tomorrow.The NSW Rural Fire Service has warned people living in catastrophic fire danger areas that they cannot count on the service to arrive in time to save them tomorrow.
Deputy commissioner Rob Rogers told a press briefing this afternoon that people should consider relocating.Deputy commissioner Rob Rogers told a press briefing this afternoon that people should consider relocating.
“Do not put yourself near an isolated bush area if your home is directly on the bush. Do not be there in the heat of the day. We cannot guarantee [we will] get firetrucks to you.“Do not put yourself near an isolated bush area if your home is directly on the bush. Do not be there in the heat of the day. We cannot guarantee [we will] get firetrucks to you.
“We have so much in the landscape. We will do our best but we cannot guarantee that.”“We have so much in the landscape. We will do our best but we cannot guarantee that.”
He said a number of major thoroughfares in and out of towns could be affected.He said a number of major thoroughfares in and out of towns could be affected.
“Princes Highway will be affected by tomorrow. We have the Great Western Highway, the Bells Line of Road is already closed.”“Princes Highway will be affected by tomorrow. We have the Great Western Highway, the Bells Line of Road is already closed.”
Fire activity is increasing again in Gospers Mountain.Fire activity is increasing again in Gospers Mountain.
A well-known vineyard is burning under catastrophic conditions in the Adelaide Hills.A well-known vineyard is burning under catastrophic conditions in the Adelaide Hills.
Golding Wines, near Charleston, is in the middle of the danger zone for the out-of-control Cudlee Creek fire.Golding Wines, near Charleston, is in the middle of the danger zone for the out-of-control Cudlee Creek fire.
According to Nine News, “thousands” of vines were burning at the property and flames were licking toward Cellar Door. The winery hasn’t confirmed the extent of the loss, except to reply to one well-wisher on Twitter.According to Nine News, “thousands” of vines were burning at the property and flames were licking toward Cellar Door. The winery hasn’t confirmed the extent of the loss, except to reply to one well-wisher on Twitter.
The Country Fire Authority in South Australia said “quite a number of properties” had been impacted by the Cudlee Creek fire, but that it was too early to confirm numbers.The Country Fire Authority in South Australia said “quite a number of properties” had been impacted by the Cudlee Creek fire, but that it was too early to confirm numbers.
The out-of-control fire burning in the Adelaide Hills is unlikely to be contained soon, according to the state’s fire service.
Country Fire Service chief Mark Jones said crews were battling thick smoke as the fire continued to head south-east and burn towards the towns of Charleston, Woodside and Inverbrackie.
Jones said the terrain and the prevailing conditions were proving particularly challenging for fire crews.
“Access is difficult and dangerous for firefighters, the lack of visibility also makes it very difficult for crews,” he said.
Spot fires ahead of the main front were also thought to have damaged some properties around the town of Lobethal.
Many locals residents had opted to leave but some were remaining to defend their homes.
The most recent emergency-level fire to threaten lives and homes in South Australia was triggered by lightening strikes, the Country Fire Service has confirmed.
“This isn’t just one lightning strike, there have been a number of lightning strikes. There is quite a grouping of fires in that area. Some are appearing to move towards together,” Deputy Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service, Andrew Stark, has just told ABC television.
“We have a number of aircraft working on that fire, as well as the aircraft we have working back in the Adelaide Hills, four on the firing Peninsula at this stage, and seven swing bombers and helicopter is working on the fire back in the Adelaide Hills.
“Currently, the two groups who have come to our assistance from New South Wales and Victoria are on the ground given that they are unsafe to operate in the Adelaide Hills at this time.”
The fire at Angle Vale, previously at emergency level, has been brought under control.
People have been urged to leave Brookville, in Victoria, with an out-of-control bushfire threatening homes.
A “watch and act” warning was issued on Friday for residents of Brookville, in Victoria’s East Gippsland region, about 390km north-east of Melbourne.
“Don’t wait, leaving now is the safest option – conditions may change and get worse very quickly,” the warning reads.
Three NSW regions including Greater Sydney are set to endure catastrophic fire danger on Saturday amid intense heat, strong winds and dry conditions.The NSW Rural Fire Service has forecast catastrophic fire danger for parts of the state - including Greater Sydney - as another “dangerously hot” day looms.
The RFS on Friday confirmed that Greater Sydney, Illawarra-Shoalhaven and the Southern Ranges would on Saturday endure catastrophic fire risks.
Greater Hunter and the Central Ranges would experience extreme fire risk.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned temperatures could rise into the mid-40s in western Sydney on Saturday, with strong winds and intensely dry conditions creating additional danger.
The RFS will address media on Friday afternoon.
An emergency fire warning has been issued for Maitland, in the Yorke Peninsula.
It is now too late to leave and the Country Fire Service advises taking shelter in a solid building.
Trying to find some good news today is pretty difficult. So please accept these adorable rescue puppies for your viewing pleasure.
And the record for hottest December day in Victoria falls as well.
Geoff Goldrick, a deputy captain with the NSW Rural Fire Service in Northern NSW, has written a powerful piece reflecting on the extraordinary events of this year.