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Australia fires live: multiple properties lost in Victoria as NSW faces fresh bushfires threat - latest updates Australia fires live: multiple properties lost in Victoria as NSW faces fresh bushfires threat - latest updates
(32 minutes later)
Extreme temperatures forecast to move north to NSW after a devastating day in the Victorian region of East Gippsland and the death of a New South Wales firefighter east of Albury. Follow live news and latest updatesExtreme temperatures forecast to move north to NSW after a devastating day in the Victorian region of East Gippsland and the death of a New South Wales firefighter east of Albury. Follow live news and latest updates
On ABC Radio Gippsland, Joe says he has driven through Sarsfield, north of Lakes Entrance, and near Bruthen. The power and phone lines are down in Bruthen.
He says: “I was just shocked with what I saw. There seems to be quite a few houses burned. There were still ... trees and hay sheds on fire.
“I was just feeling relieved for myself but in total shock for the people who’ve suffered losses [of property]. If there have been no serious injuries or deaths that’s just a miracle.”
Really frightening updates from Mallacoota.
People in Mallacoota have been providing updates on Twitter.
Authorities have updated the emergency warning for Mallacoota. It says:
There are currently two bushfires that are not yet under control.
One fire is currently travelling from Wingan River in an easterly direction towards Karbeethong with spotting ahead of the fire. The fire front is predicted to impact the Mallacoota township within the next 30 minutes.
The second fire is travelling from Goongerah in a south-easterly direction towards Chandlers Creek
Ash and embers are falling ahead of the main fires, which may cause spot fires.
Nationals MP Darren Chester, who represents Gippsland, says he just got off the phone with a friend in the fire-threatened town of Mallacoota.
He tells the ABC: “I was talking to a mate in Mallacoota, he says it’s like midnight there, it’s pitch black. They have a lot of smoke. They have embers falling.
“At this stage he was saying to me that they are burnt leaves, not direct embers in terms of likely to start new fires, but they’re in the firing line, so to speak, and along the south coast there’s more issues.”
A few more points from Shane Fitzsimmons’ press briefing.
100 fires are burning in NSW, including five at emergency level, concentrated in southern NSW.
The fires were “extraordinary” overnight, exceeding predictions. BoM will update forecast to be worse than original prediction.
The full quote from Shane Fitzsimmons earlier:The full quote from Shane Fitzsimmons earlier:
Fitzsimmons gives more details on the accident yesterday.Fitzsimmons gives more details on the accident yesterday.
He says crews at the scene described the winds that tipped McPaul’s truck as a “fire tornado”, which resulted in “cyclonic winds” that moved across the fire ground and lifted up a 10 tonne fire truck and flipped it on the roof.He says crews at the scene described the winds that tipped McPaul’s truck as a “fire tornado”, which resulted in “cyclonic winds” that moved across the fire ground and lifted up a 10 tonne fire truck and flipped it on the roof.
Those inside were trapped, and McPaul was killed in the process.Those inside were trapped, and McPaul was killed in the process.
“I have to pay my respects and admiration to Sam’s fellow crew and those that stayed behind,” Fitzsimmons said. “They weren’t leaving Sam there until police and, of course, the local fire and rescue crew, who so professionally and with respect and dignity worked with police to ensure Sam got out of the vehicle wreckage and was transported away from that fire scene.”“I have to pay my respects and admiration to Sam’s fellow crew and those that stayed behind,” Fitzsimmons said. “They weren’t leaving Sam there until police and, of course, the local fire and rescue crew, who so professionally and with respect and dignity worked with police to ensure Sam got out of the vehicle wreckage and was transported away from that fire scene.”
Fitzsimmons says three other volunteers were injured. Two have been released from hospital, but a third is at the Prince Alfred Hospital in Melbourne with serious injuries, including burns.Fitzsimmons says three other volunteers were injured. Two have been released from hospital, but a third is at the Prince Alfred Hospital in Melbourne with serious injuries, including burns.
Shane Fitzsimmons, the NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner, confirms the man killed at Albury yesterday is 28-year-old Samuel McPaul.Shane Fitzsimmons, the NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner, confirms the man killed at Albury yesterday is 28-year-old Samuel McPaul.
Fitzsimmons says McPaul, of Holbrook, was “well respected and admired throughout the local community and in his local brigade”.Fitzsimmons says McPaul, of Holbrook, was “well respected and admired throughout the local community and in his local brigade”.
He leaves behind his wife, Megan, who is pregnant with their first child, due 4 May. The couple married 18 months ago.He leaves behind his wife, Megan, who is pregnant with their first child, due 4 May. The couple married 18 months ago.
“Our hearts are breaking for Sam’s family,” Fitzsimmons says.“Our hearts are breaking for Sam’s family,” Fitzsimmons says.
Turning her attention to the current fire threat, the premier says the South Coast and southern NSW is “under heavy threat” today.Turning her attention to the current fire threat, the premier says the South Coast and southern NSW is “under heavy threat” today.
She notes there are five fires at emergency level this early in the day.She notes there are five fires at emergency level this early in the day.
“There will be road closures in southern NewSouth Wales due to the fires,” she says.“There will be road closures in southern NewSouth Wales due to the fires,” she says.
“We need everybody to act as responsibly as possible, as cautiously as possible, and please don’t think you’re the expert. Take the experts’ advice. We don’t want anyone to get in harm’s way. Your actions may unintentionally harm so many others. That’s the last thing we want to see today.”“We need everybody to act as responsibly as possible, as cautiously as possible, and please don’t think you’re the expert. Take the experts’ advice. We don’t want anyone to get in harm’s way. Your actions may unintentionally harm so many others. That’s the last thing we want to see today.”
The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian is speaking now to the media.The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian is speaking now to the media.
She extends her condolences to the NSW RFS volunteer who died in a truck accident at Albury-Wodonga yesterday.She extends her condolences to the NSW RFS volunteer who died in a truck accident at Albury-Wodonga yesterday.
Three others were injured, she says.Three others were injured, she says.
The premier says the RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons spent the night supporting the family of the volunteer who was killed.The premier says the RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons spent the night supporting the family of the volunteer who was killed.
Also within the past hour, an alert was issued for Bendoc, Bonang, Cabanandra, Club Terrace, Combienbar, Deddick Valley, Delegate River, Dellicknora, Errinundra, Goongerah, Haydens Bog, Nurran, Roaring Camp, Tubbut, Yalmy.
This relates to the bushfire west of Goongerah and south-west of Bonang, which is not yet under control.
There are reports of active fire in multiple locations in the Goongerah Valley.
Fire activity is erratic and unpredictable. This fire is threatening homes and lives.
Reports of ember attack have been reported in the township of Goongerah.
The south-westerly wind change is not expected until early Tuesday morning which will push the fire in a north-easterly direction.
Let’s drill down into some of those emergency warnings in Victoria that I mentioned earlier.
At 7:14am, an emergency warning was issued for Bruthen and surrounds.
There is a bushfire at Bruthen and surrounds that is out of control.
The fire has created a large smoke column and is dropping embers and creating spot fires.
The fire has been burning overnight burning in a southerly direction towards Swan Reach.
This fire is threatening homes and lives.
There is a south-westerly wind change has occurred and is likely to drive fires in a north-easterly direction.
Bruthen, Bullumwall, Swan Reach and Fairhope are under a high level of threat.
Metung is not threatened to the same level at this point.
The incident controller of the Gippsland fires said he could not confirm whether lives or property had been lost in massive fires that burned through East Gippsland overnight, because it was so hot they had to ground their infra-red tracking plane.
And he said the beachside town of Mallacoota, where 4,000 tourists and locals are on the foreshore being protected by firefighters, is expected to be hit by fire this morning. Chris Eagle, from the department of environment, land, water and planning, said the fires grew about 60% in size overnight.
On Monday afternoon, the three largest fires — Barmouth Spur near Bruthen, W Tree, and the Cann River fire — were estimated to be 200,000ha in size.
“There’s a lot of fire, a lot of activity,” Eagle told ABC radio in Gippsland on Tuesday morning. “There’s going to be impacts to residents just because of the sheer size.”
Asked if that meant he could not say whether there had been a loss of property or lives, Eagle said: “No, not as yet.”
He said he had reports the fire had directly impacted on the towns of Bruthen and Orbost.
The Princes Highway was closed from Bairnsdale to Genoa, east of Mallacoota, on Monday night, but on Tuesday morning the stretch between Lakes Entrance and Bairnsdale was opened to allow tourists to leave.
All of East Gippsland remains under an emergency alert this morning, except Bairnsdale which is under a watch and act.
There are currently 13 emergency warnings in place across Victoria and New South Wales.
These maps below will give you a sense of where those fires are burning.
We’re currently waiting for the NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, to address media. That’s coming up in the next few minutes.
I mentioned the town of Mallacoota is bracing to be impacted by fire. There are terrifying photos coming out of the area.
Meanwhile, residents in Albury-Wodonga are mourning the loss of a 28-year-old volunteer fire fighter who was killed when his fire truck rolled in strong winds yesterday evening.
The Rural Fire Service Superintendent Pat Westwood will give more details at 10am today.
Crisp said authorities are focused on a fire that is about to reach the coastal town of Mallacoota in East Gippsland. Residents were told the fire was likely to hit the township around daybreak.
“We have three strike teams in Mallacoota looking after 4,000 people on the beach as the fire goes into that town,” he said.
“We are concerned about isolated communities and to get an appreciation about other losses we will put up helicopters, reconnaissance flight. A whole lot of planning has happened over night. We thought this was the scenario.”
Victoria’s emergency services commissioner Andrew Crisp has just appeared on ABC News.
Crisp said he could not give specific details about the number of homes lost in Victoria. But he confirms that in East Gippsland “multiple properties across a number of locations” have been lost.
He does not want to give more details until authorities are certain to avoid misleading people.
Good morning. I’m Luke Henriques-Gomes. Thanks for joining our coverage of the ongoing bushfire threat across the country.
We should learn this morning about the scale of the properties lost across Victoria, as fires bear down on communities in the state’s east, and on the New South Wales south coast.
We already know that a volunteer firefighter lost their life at Albury yesterday after their truck rolled.
We’ll be with you throughout the day.