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| Victoria fires live: 11 emergency warnings in place for Victorian bushfires – latest | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| An emergency warning is current for Bundoora in the northern suburbs of Melbourne as fires spread across East Gippsland, where Vic Emergency has ordered a mass evacuation | An emergency warning is current for Bundoora in the northern suburbs of Melbourne as fires spread across East Gippsland, where Vic Emergency has ordered a mass evacuation |
| The NSW Rural Fire Service has given the green light to Sydney’s New Years Eve fireworks show tomorrow. | |
| Regional fireworks shows have been cancelled or postponed across the state because of the fire risk, and just a few hours ago the Parramatta city council also announced they were cancelling their show. This morning the deputy premier, John Barilaro, said it was “an easy decision” and called for Sydney’s to be canned. | |
| But the City of Sydney – amid much debate – said it wouldn’t cancel unless the RFS asked them too. | |
| A short time ago the RFS approved the event, and said they were assessing a few other exemptions to the total fire ban. | |
| There are 11 emergency warnings for fires in Victoria, four in NSW, and one in Tasmania. | |
| Victoria’s warnings are spread across the East Gippsland region, in suburban Melbourne, and in the Burrowa Pine Mountain national park. | |
| The four in NSW are at Talmalmo, Dunns Road, Charleys Forest, and Wyndham. | |
| Tasmania’s is at Pelham. | |
| Over in the UK, the BBC has put climate change and the Australian bushfires at the top of its news agenda on Radio 4. | |
| Back in November the BBC announced that Greta Thunberg would be a guest editor of its flagship radio news programme, Today. | |
| The bushfire crisis here was the number two item, after climate change warnings from the governor of the reserve bank. | |
| The programme’s producers also arranged for Thunberg to meet Sir David Attenborough. | |
| Three houses have sustained minor damage in the bushfire at Bundoora. | Three houses have sustained minor damage in the bushfire at Bundoora. |
| “MFB and CFA firefighters remain on scene to continue tackling the blaze with a wind change expected to come through this evening,” the Melbourne Fire Brigade said. | “MFB and CFA firefighters remain on scene to continue tackling the blaze with a wind change expected to come through this evening,” the Melbourne Fire Brigade said. |
| A waterbombing aircraft is among more than 20 appliances on the scene in suburban Melbourne. | A waterbombing aircraft is among more than 20 appliances on the scene in suburban Melbourne. |
| Chris Hopkins and Calla Wahlquist have been out at Bairnsdale today. | Chris Hopkins and Calla Wahlquist have been out at Bairnsdale today. |
| These photos from Hopkins show the 12km-high smoke plume from two merged fires - the W Tree fire and the Barmah Spur fire. | These photos from Hopkins show the 12km-high smoke plume from two merged fires - the W Tree fire and the Barmah Spur fire. |
| Hobart is among a list of Tasmanian centres to have experienced their hottest December day on record, the Bureau of Meteorology says. | Hobart is among a list of Tasmanian centres to have experienced their hottest December day on record, the Bureau of Meteorology says. |
| The temperature in the state capital peaked at 40.8C shortly before 2pm. The previous benchmark for December was 40.6C, set 122 years ago in 1897. | The temperature in the state capital peaked at 40.8C shortly before 2pm. The previous benchmark for December was 40.6C, set 122 years ago in 1897. |
| The unusually high Tasmanian temperatures meant all six states and the Northern Territory recorded temperatures north of 40C. It reached 41.9C in Adelaide and, at the time of writing, 40.8C in Melbourne. Avalon Airport, between Melbourne and Geelong, hit 44.4C, and Alice Springs reached 42C. | The unusually high Tasmanian temperatures meant all six states and the Northern Territory recorded temperatures north of 40C. It reached 41.9C in Adelaide and, at the time of writing, 40.8C in Melbourne. Avalon Airport, between Melbourne and Geelong, hit 44.4C, and Alice Springs reached 42C. |
| The hottest place in the country was Onslow, in the Pilbara, with 46.9C. Marree, in northern South Australia, reached 46.7C; Birdsville, in south-west Queensland, 46.3C. | The hottest place in the country was Onslow, in the Pilbara, with 46.9C. Marree, in northern South Australia, reached 46.7C; Birdsville, in south-west Queensland, 46.3C. |
| Jonathan How, forecaster with the bureau’s Australian weather desk, said it was not unusual for all mainland states to reach 40C on the same summer day but it was rare for Tasmania to join them. “It’s not something you see all the time,” he said. | Jonathan How, forecaster with the bureau’s Australian weather desk, said it was not unusual for all mainland states to reach 40C on the same summer day but it was rare for Tasmania to join them. “It’s not something you see all the time,” he said. |
| The list of Tasmanian places to set maximum temperature records for December included Launceston (equalling the previously mark of 34.1C), Cape Bruny (39.2C) and Mount Wellington (28.6C). | The list of Tasmanian places to set maximum temperature records for December included Launceston (equalling the previously mark of 34.1C), Cape Bruny (39.2C) and Mount Wellington (28.6C). |
| In Victoria, there were new December highs at Wilsons Promontory (40.2C), Wangaratta (43.1C) and several centres in fire affected Gippsland including Bairnsdale (43.6C), Orbost (43.1C) and East Sale (43.5C). | In Victoria, there were new December highs at Wilsons Promontory (40.2C), Wangaratta (43.1C) and several centres in fire affected Gippsland including Bairnsdale (43.6C), Orbost (43.1C) and East Sale (43.5C). |
| There is an emergency alert for a bushfire in Tasmania. | There is an emergency alert for a bushfire in Tasmania. |
| An uncontrolled fire has broken out at Pelham with fire authorities warning it will put lives in danger and may destroy homes. | An uncontrolled fire has broken out at Pelham with fire authorities warning it will put lives in danger and may destroy homes. |
| “This fire will be uncontrollable, unpredictable and fast moving,” the alert says. | “This fire will be uncontrollable, unpredictable and fast moving,” the alert says. |
| “Thick smoke and thousands of embers will cause fires all around you. Fires will move quickly and may come from many directions.” | “Thick smoke and thousands of embers will cause fires all around you. Fires will move quickly and may come from many directions.” |
| The Tasmanian Fire Service (TFS) says the safest course of action is to evacuate now, but if you don’t have a safe route to a safer place, shelter inside your home until the fire passes. | The Tasmanian Fire Service (TFS) says the safest course of action is to evacuate now, but if you don’t have a safe route to a safer place, shelter inside your home until the fire passes. |
| Bairnsdale incident controller Ben Rankin updates reporters on bushfires in Victoria’s East Gippsland area. Rankin says the area is facing extreme fire danger. | Bairnsdale incident controller Ben Rankin updates reporters on bushfires in Victoria’s East Gippsland area. Rankin says the area is facing extreme fire danger. |
| “We will get big column development today and quite significant runs of fire if anything breaks out of the control lines we’ve currently got,” Rankin says. | “We will get big column development today and quite significant runs of fire if anything breaks out of the control lines we’ve currently got,” Rankin says. |
| He says a cool change expected around midnight will present its own challenges and may lead to new runs of fire. | He says a cool change expected around midnight will present its own challenges and may lead to new runs of fire. |
| Hello, this is Helen Davidson with you again, for the rest of the day’s live coverage of the bushfire situation across multiple states. | Hello, this is Helen Davidson with you again, for the rest of the day’s live coverage of the bushfire situation across multiple states. |
| A quick couple of stats via AAP on the Victorian fires. | A quick couple of stats via AAP on the Victorian fires. |
| There are more than 10 burning in East Gippsland, including three that have been going for more than a month. | There are more than 10 burning in East Gippsland, including three that have been going for more than a month. |
| Overnight 16 fires in the state were started by lightning strikes. | Overnight 16 fires in the state were started by lightning strikes. |
| One of them, which started between Cann River and Mallacoota, travelled 24km in six hours overnight, creating a 14km high plume and its own dry lightning. | One of them, which started between Cann River and Mallacoota, travelled 24km in six hours overnight, creating a 14km high plume and its own dry lightning. |
| Water bombers have been deployed in Bundoora in Melbourne. | Water bombers have been deployed in Bundoora in Melbourne. |
| An emergency warning has been issued for Bundoora, Greensborough and Mill Park in the suburbs of Melbourne | An emergency warning has been issued for Bundoora, Greensborough and Mill Park in the suburbs of Melbourne |
| The fire is threatening homes and lives. | The fire is threatening homes and lives. |
| “You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive”, the CFA says. “The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately. It is too late to leave”. | “You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive”, the CFA says. “The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately. It is too late to leave”. |
| “This message is for people at North of Metropolitan Ring Road between Scholar Drive And Booyan Court. There is a bushfire at Jubilee Cr, Mill Park that is not yet under control. | “This message is for people at North of Metropolitan Ring Road between Scholar Drive And Booyan Court. There is a bushfire at Jubilee Cr, Mill Park that is not yet under control. |
| “The bushfire is travelling from Jubilee Crescent in a southerly direction towards Cloverton Way. The fire started near Cloverton Way in Bundoora.” | “The bushfire is travelling from Jubilee Crescent in a southerly direction towards Cloverton Way. The fire started near Cloverton Way in Bundoora.” |
| Andrew Crisp, the Victorian emergency management commissioner, says a “lot of people” stayed at Lakes Entrance. | Andrew Crisp, the Victorian emergency management commissioner, says a “lot of people” stayed at Lakes Entrance. |
| “On the other hand, we know there was quite long streams of traffic leaving East Gippsland yesterday afternoon and into the evening,” he adds. | “On the other hand, we know there was quite long streams of traffic leaving East Gippsland yesterday afternoon and into the evening,” he adds. |
| He also says “these aren’t the last of the warnings we’ll see today. There’ll be more coming out.” | He also says “these aren’t the last of the warnings we’ll see today. There’ll be more coming out.” |
| Outside of East Gippsland, the major concerns for authorities are the fire at Lexton, west of Avoca, and the two in the Plenty Gorge, he says. | Outside of East Gippsland, the major concerns for authorities are the fire at Lexton, west of Avoca, and the two in the Plenty Gorge, he says. |
| Victorian emergency services minister Lisa Neville says it is likely that the Princes Highway “will fully close at some point to Bairnsdale right through to Mallacoota”. | Victorian emergency services minister Lisa Neville says it is likely that the Princes Highway “will fully close at some point to Bairnsdale right through to Mallacoota”. |
| “This is a warning to all Victorians,” she says. “This is not yet over ... we’re really only halfway through what is ahead of us here today.” | “This is a warning to all Victorians,” she says. “This is not yet over ... we’re really only halfway through what is ahead of us here today.” |
| “We’re seeing a different kind of thunderstorm,” says Andrew Tupper from the Bureau of Meteorology. These are known as pyro-cumulonimbus – which basically means a fire-generated thunderstorm. | “We’re seeing a different kind of thunderstorm,” says Andrew Tupper from the Bureau of Meteorology. These are known as pyro-cumulonimbus – which basically means a fire-generated thunderstorm. |
| “The way that they work is basically the fires give them an extra push in conditions that would normally be suitable, or marginally suitable, for thunderstorms. As they give them that push, the thunderstorms can develop more rapidly than they normally would. | “The way that they work is basically the fires give them an extra push in conditions that would normally be suitable, or marginally suitable, for thunderstorms. As they give them that push, the thunderstorms can develop more rapidly than they normally would. |
| “They carry fire embers aloft, which can help the spread of those fires, accelerate the spread of those fires, they can push those embers down with the severe wind gusts that the thunderstorms generate. And overall they can greatly contribute to unexpected fire spread in unexpected directions.” | “They carry fire embers aloft, which can help the spread of those fires, accelerate the spread of those fires, they can push those embers down with the severe wind gusts that the thunderstorms generate. And overall they can greatly contribute to unexpected fire spread in unexpected directions.” |