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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/dec/29/falls-festival-lorne-cancelled-extreme-heat-bushfire-threat-sydney-fireworks
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| Falls Festival at Lorne cancelled due to extreme heat, amid mounting bushfire threat | Falls Festival at Lorne cancelled due to extreme heat, amid mounting bushfire threat |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Organisers say conditions were too dangerous to go ahead, as Sydney comes under increasing pressure over New Year’s Eve fireworks | Organisers say conditions were too dangerous to go ahead, as Sydney comes under increasing pressure over New Year’s Eve fireworks |
| Falls Festival in Lorne has been cancelled and Sydney faces increased pressure to cancel its New Year’s Eve fireworks as a heatwave brings a return to extreme bushfire risk conditions. | Falls Festival in Lorne has been cancelled and Sydney faces increased pressure to cancel its New Year’s Eve fireworks as a heatwave brings a return to extreme bushfire risk conditions. |
| In a statement on Sunday morning, the organisers of the long-running New Year’s Eve festival at Lorne, 142km west of Melbourne, said conditions were too dangerous to go ahead. | In a statement on Sunday morning, the organisers of the long-running New Year’s Eve festival at Lorne, 142km west of Melbourne, said conditions were too dangerous to go ahead. |
| The festival began on Saturday and was slated to run until New Year’s Eve. Some 9,000 attendees are already camping on site. | The festival began on Saturday and was slated to run until New Year’s Eve. Some 9,000 attendees are already camping on site. |
| Temperatures in Lorne are forecast to reach 40C on Monday. The festival is held on private land surrounded by bushland and ringed by the Great Otway national park. Congestion from festival goers trying to leave on a single dirt track means it takes hours for the camp ground to clear at the end of a normal festival. | |
| “It is with a heavy heart we have had to cancel the remaining days of the Falls Festival in Lorne due to the predicted extreme weather conditions forecast for Monday December 30th in the Otways and surrounding region, creating a risk to health and safety due to potential fires, smoke, severe winds and tree hazards,” the statement said. | “It is with a heavy heart we have had to cancel the remaining days of the Falls Festival in Lorne due to the predicted extreme weather conditions forecast for Monday December 30th in the Otways and surrounding region, creating a risk to health and safety due to potential fires, smoke, severe winds and tree hazards,” the statement said. |
| “The decision has not been made lightly. Our patron and staff safety is our priority.” | “The decision has not been made lightly. Our patron and staff safety is our priority.” |
| Organisers said the weather forecast had become “significantly worse in the past 12 hours”. That information was not available before campers began arriving for the event on Saturday, they said. | Organisers said the weather forecast had become “significantly worse in the past 12 hours”. That information was not available before campers began arriving for the event on Saturday, they said. |
| “After consultation with local and regional fire authorities and other emergency stakeholders, it is clear that we have no other option,” they said. | “After consultation with local and regional fire authorities and other emergency stakeholders, it is clear that we have no other option,” they said. |
| “While conditions are fine at time of writing, we are taking the opportunity to move everyone offsite safely and in good time. | “While conditions are fine at time of writing, we are taking the opportunity to move everyone offsite safely and in good time. |
| “For those 9,000 currently staying onsite we ask you calmly pack up your campsite and return to your place of origin. There is no need to rush. Please ensure you have a sober driver.” | “For those 9,000 currently staying onsite we ask you calmly pack up your campsite and return to your place of origin. There is no need to rush. Please ensure you have a sober driver.” |
| Gates to the Lorne festival will close at 9am Monday. Three-day festivals in Marion Bay, Tasmania, Byron Bay, NSW, and Fremantle, WA, will go ahead. Tickets for the Lorne festival will be refunded. | Gates to the Lorne festival will close at 9am Monday. Three-day festivals in Marion Bay, Tasmania, Byron Bay, NSW, and Fremantle, WA, will go ahead. Tickets for the Lorne festival will be refunded. |
| The fire danger for all Victoria, except for the north-east and east Gippsland which are not as severely in drought, is extreme on Monday. The rating for the north-east and east Gippsland is severe. | The fire danger for all Victoria, except for the north-east and east Gippsland which are not as severely in drought, is extreme on Monday. The rating for the north-east and east Gippsland is severe. |
| In New South Wales the worst fire danger coincides with New Year’s Eve, with severe to extreme conditions in eight regions, from the greater Hunter and greater Sydney regions to the far south coast. | In New South Wales the worst fire danger coincides with New Year’s Eve, with severe to extreme conditions in eight regions, from the greater Hunter and greater Sydney regions to the far south coast. |
| Response to the announcement on the festival’s Facebook page has been split between anger from revellers who say the organisers should have decided to hold it in a different location – as happened in 2015, when a bushfire threatened the Lorne venue – and praise from people who do not appear to be attending the festival, for putting safety first. | Response to the announcement on the festival’s Facebook page has been split between anger from revellers who say the organisers should have decided to hold it in a different location – as happened in 2015, when a bushfire threatened the Lorne venue – and praise from people who do not appear to be attending the festival, for putting safety first. |
| Some social media users wondered whether the future of the event was now in doubt. | |
| Triple J presenter Bridget Hustwaite also pointed to the “vulnerable location” of the festival, and criticised festival-goers who attacked the organisers’ decision. | |
| Some commentors said the Marion Bay festival should also be cancelled due to extreme heat and fire risk. | Some commentors said the Marion Bay festival should also be cancelled due to extreme heat and fire risk. |
| The fire danger for the upper Derwent valley and southeast of Tasmania, which includes Marion Bay, are listed to be extreme on Monday. Hobart is forecast to reach 40C — a rarity in a state where summer temperatures rarely top 30C — and Marion Bay is forecast to reach 38C. | The fire danger for the upper Derwent valley and southeast of Tasmania, which includes Marion Bay, are listed to be extreme on Monday. Hobart is forecast to reach 40C — a rarity in a state where summer temperatures rarely top 30C — and Marion Bay is forecast to reach 38C. |
| More than 260,000 people have signed a petition seeking to cancel New Year’s Eve fireworks in Sydney, but so far the lord mayor, Clover Moore, has not moved from her position set out two weeks ago that the fireworks were planned 15 months in advance and could not be canned. | More than 260,000 people have signed a petition seeking to cancel New Year’s Eve fireworks in Sydney, but so far the lord mayor, Clover Moore, has not moved from her position set out two weeks ago that the fireworks were planned 15 months in advance and could not be canned. |
| She said the display generated $130m for the NSW economy. | She said the display generated $130m for the NSW economy. |
| Sydney is forecast to reach 35C on New Year’s Eve, with 44C forecast for Penrith in western Sydney. | |