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| NSW and SA fires live: five million hectares burned in Australia's bushfires – latest updates | NSW and SA fires live: five million hectares burned in Australia's bushfires – latest updates |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Volunteer firefighters call for financial support, saying the situation on the ground is ‘out of control’ as the nation’s bushfires crisis continues. Follow the latest news and updates | Volunteer firefighters call for financial support, saying the situation on the ground is ‘out of control’ as the nation’s bushfires crisis continues. Follow the latest news and updates |
| Morrison is giving thanks to the 1,500 South Australian firefighters who have come to NSW to help with the bushfire crisis there. | |
| “Particularly even now, when you’re facing your own challenges here.” | |
| He says the NSW fires have been “obviously terrible, but it’s not the only place that has had fires”. | |
| “There are fires here in South Australia. There are fires in Victoria. There are fires in Queensland. And I want to also commend the premiers of all of those states, as well as in New South Wales, for the tremendous job that they’re doing in leading the operational response.” | |
| “Out in the Lobethal village tonight, there will be the usual Christmas lights spectacular despite all of this, as a sign of both defiance to the disaster that they’ve lived through, but also, I think, as a way of bringing the community together in a very special way. It is Christmas Eve after all, and kids - Santa will find you, whether there’s been a bushfire or not.” | |
| South Australian premier, Steve Marshall, and Morrison are holding a press conference now. | |
| Marshall says there has been “overwhelming generosity” from the community to the Cudlee Creek bushfire appeal. | |
| They’ve been visiting communities affected and “at every single opportunity [Morrison] has been able to ask questions about exactly what is going on here”, says Marshall. | |
| He says the support from the federal government has come “in record time”. | |
| “This is a team effort, a community effort to support people in these tough times.” | |
| Disappointing news from the ABC, which reports there are some alleged instances of scammers and looters taking advantage of the bushfire crisis. | |
| It’s going to be a long conversation once the fire season is over, but there is already a lot of talk about resourcing. For what it’s worth, in reporting from different firegrounds, I’ve found opinions differ from place to place, and brigade to brigade. But there’s no question that donations and fundraising form a large part of the supply. | |
| The RFS supplies the necessary equipment. But this social media post from a Northern Beaches brigade sent to Bilpin on Saturday, shows what crews can do with the extra – in this case an iPad and topographical maps funded through donations. | |
| The Law Society and the Legal Services Commission of South Australia is reminding people in the state that there is free legal advice available for those affected by the bushfire disaster. | The Law Society and the Legal Services Commission of South Australia is reminding people in the state that there is free legal advice available for those affected by the bushfire disaster. |
| The Law Society maintains a register of lawyers who have volunteered to be on hand to provide free legal assistance to victims of disasters. For more information please contact disaster.planning@lawsocietysa.asn.au. | The Law Society maintains a register of lawyers who have volunteered to be on hand to provide free legal assistance to victims of disasters. For more information please contact disaster.planning@lawsocietysa.asn.au. |
| For urgent legal advice and information please contact the Legal Services Commission which operates a free telephone advisory service on weekdays between 9am – 4.30pm (excluding Public Holidays) on 1300 366 424. | For urgent legal advice and information please contact the Legal Services Commission which operates a free telephone advisory service on weekdays between 9am – 4.30pm (excluding Public Holidays) on 1300 366 424. |
| Morrison appeared on South Australia’s 5AA radio this morning where he was asked by host Tony Pilkington about firefighting resources and compensation. | Morrison appeared on South Australia’s 5AA radio this morning where he was asked by host Tony Pilkington about firefighting resources and compensation. |
| The short version is Morrison was asked whether the government should be funding the stuff that people are telling them needs to be funded, and the answer was that if people tell the government something needs to be funded, they will look at funding it. | The short version is Morrison was asked whether the government should be funding the stuff that people are telling them needs to be funded, and the answer was that if people tell the government something needs to be funded, they will look at funding it. |
| Which seems to be answering a question about an actual occurrence as though it was a question about a hypothetical, but maybe I’m getting a bit cynical in my search for some concrete plans laid out in a well-structured sentence. | Which seems to be answering a question about an actual occurrence as though it was a question about a hypothetical, but maybe I’m getting a bit cynical in my search for some concrete plans laid out in a well-structured sentence. |
| Anyway, they’ll talk about it at the Coag meeting in March apparently. | Anyway, they’ll talk about it at the Coag meeting in March apparently. |
| Here’s the long version, courtesy of the prime minister’s office: | Here’s the long version, courtesy of the prime minister’s office: |
| Western Australia has offered a slight revision to the total number of hectares burned in WA since the start of November. | Western Australia has offered a slight revision to the total number of hectares burned in WA since the start of November. |
| Yesterday the rough figure, not including all fires managed by the local government bush fire brigades, was 374,000ha. | Yesterday the rough figure, not including all fires managed by the local government bush fire brigades, was 374,000ha. |
| Today those local government figures have been counted, and the total is 1.2m.That brings the total area burned in bushfires across Australia since spring to about five million hectares. | Today those local government figures have been counted, and the total is 1.2m.That brings the total area burned in bushfires across Australia since spring to about five million hectares. |
| That’s about the same size as Costa Rica. | That’s about the same size as Costa Rica. |
| The reason for the different figures is this: in Western Australia, management of bushfires is split between Parks, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES), and the local government run volunteer bushfire brigades. | The reason for the different figures is this: in Western Australia, management of bushfires is split between Parks, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES), and the local government run volunteer bushfire brigades. |
| The latter do not always immediately report in the size of their fires to DFES, and in the Kimberley, fires can get quite big. Someone at DFES did the math for us overnight. | The latter do not always immediately report in the size of their fires to DFES, and in the Kimberley, fires can get quite big. Someone at DFES did the math for us overnight. |
| The Kerry Ridge fire, on the north-west edge of the Mount Gospers and joined to the Oaky Creek and Paddock Run fires, has been upgraded to watch and act with activity increasing in Nullo Mountain. | The Kerry Ridge fire, on the north-west edge of the Mount Gospers and joined to the Oaky Creek and Paddock Run fires, has been upgraded to watch and act with activity increasing in Nullo Mountain. |
| “The fire continues to burn on multiple fronts in the Wollemi national park, Putty state forest, Coricudgy state forest and Nullo Mountain state forest,” says the RFS. | “The fire continues to burn on multiple fronts in the Wollemi national park, Putty state forest, Coricudgy state forest and Nullo Mountain state forest,” says the RFS. |
| “Firefighters supported by heavy plant and water-bombing aircraft continue working to establish containment lines.” | “Firefighters supported by heavy plant and water-bombing aircraft continue working to establish containment lines.” |
| People in Nullo Mountain, Olinda and Bogee to the west, Howes Valley, Appletree Flat, and Doyles Creek to the east, and Widden, Baerami, Baerami Creek, and Martindale to the north, are warned to monitor conditions and know what they’ll do if the fire threatens. | People in Nullo Mountain, Olinda and Bogee to the west, Howes Valley, Appletree Flat, and Doyles Creek to the east, and Widden, Baerami, Baerami Creek, and Martindale to the north, are warned to monitor conditions and know what they’ll do if the fire threatens. |
| There is “overwhelming support” from the community, says Balmoral RFS volunteer Andrew Johnston, in this emotional interview with Nine News. | There is “overwhelming support” from the community, says Balmoral RFS volunteer Andrew Johnston, in this emotional interview with Nine News. |
| “We just tried so hard to save people’s homes. You can see in the shed we’ve got everything in the shed for everyone ... for people who lost their homes. It’s just awesome, the community spirit, the Aussie spirit all around.” | |
| If you are wondering how you can help, here is a short guide. A lot of individual RFS brigades also have more specific information on their Facebook pages. | If you are wondering how you can help, here is a short guide. A lot of individual RFS brigades also have more specific information on their Facebook pages. |
| Hello, this is Helen Davidson taking over the blog from Calla Wahlquist. | Hello, this is Helen Davidson taking over the blog from Calla Wahlquist. |
| Prime minister Scott Morrison will be addressing media from South Australia soon. | Prime minister Scott Morrison will be addressing media from South Australia soon. |
| In the meantime, here is a round up of what fire authorities expect to happen next, state by state. | In the meantime, here is a round up of what fire authorities expect to happen next, state by state. |
| More than four million hectares of Australia have burned and nine people have died since September in the “unprecedented” start to the summer fire season. | More than four million hectares of Australia have burned and nine people have died since September in the “unprecedented” start to the summer fire season. |
| Emergency Victoria has issued an updated watch-and-act alert for the Marthavale-Barmouth Spur fire at Tambo Crossing. | Emergency Victoria has issued an updated watch-and-act alert for the Marthavale-Barmouth Spur fire at Tambo Crossing. |
| The Great Alpine Road – the only way in and out without going around the mountain – remains closed between Ensay and Bruthen and there is heavy smoke throughout Tambo Valley. The fire is being monitored through aerial patrols and ground crews are in the area, though as reported earlier they are not attacking the fire directly because it is too dangerous to send crews into that terrain. | The Great Alpine Road – the only way in and out without going around the mountain – remains closed between Ensay and Bruthen and there is heavy smoke throughout Tambo Valley. The fire is being monitored through aerial patrols and ground crews are in the area, though as reported earlier they are not attacking the fire directly because it is too dangerous to send crews into that terrain. |
| Residents are warned that their water supply “may become contaminated with debris, ash, soot, fire retardant or dead animals”, which is unpleasant. | Residents are warned that their water supply “may become contaminated with debris, ash, soot, fire retardant or dead animals”, which is unpleasant. |