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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2020/jan/01/australia-bushfires-new-south-wales-victoria-fires-news-latest-live-updates
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| NSW and Victoria fires live: three more deaths confirmed in Australia bushfires and hundreds of homes destroyed – latest updates | NSW and Victoria fires live: three more deaths confirmed in Australia bushfires and hundreds of homes destroyed – latest updates |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| East Gippsland fires claim homes in Buchan, Sarsfield and Mallacoota, and 176 properties lost on New South Wales south coast. Follow live news and latest updates | East Gippsland fires claim homes in Buchan, Sarsfield and Mallacoota, and 176 properties lost on New South Wales south coast. Follow live news and latest updates |
| This particularly grim video shows the level of destruction to a line of shops in Mogo, on the NSW south coast. | |
| Good afternoon. This is Helen Davidson here to take you through the rest of the day’s live coverage of the continuing Australian bushfire crisis. | |
| In NSW there is one emergency level fire in the Snowy Valleys. The Dunns Road fire has burned more than 100,000 hectares. Conditions are easing but it is burning south of the Snowy Mountains highway in the Ellerslie Range, and the south westerly change is pushing the fire towards the areas of Kunama, Wondalga and surrounds. People there are urged to leave now towards Tumut if they aren’t prepared. | |
| There are six Watch and Act fires in the state, all in the south. | |
| In Tasmania there is one emergency warning for a fire in the north east at Fingal through to Mathinna. The alert was issued about two hours ago and warned of high risk to the area, with the fire difficult to control. People north of Moonameeta were urged to evacuate to Mathinna. There are six other Watch and Act alerts, mainly in the north east but also one northwest of Hobart. | |
| In Victoria there are currently no emergency warnings, as the Sunbury fire has been downgraded. There are 11 Watch and Act warnings issued. | |
| There is one Watch and Act fire in South Australia, on Kangaroo Island. | |
| And there are months to go. | And there are months to go. |
| Today we had both NSW and Victoria’s emergency chiefs tell us they could not get around these fires. That 10,000 firefighters on the ground would not be enough to stop the blazes. | |
| All that is going to help is a change in conditions, but instead we are facing Saturday being worse than what we saw on Tuesday. | All that is going to help is a change in conditions, but instead we are facing Saturday being worse than what we saw on Tuesday. |
| And there are months to go in this season. MONTHS. | And there are months to go in this season. MONTHS. |
| On that dour note, I am going to hand you over to Helen Davidson for the evening coverage. | On that dour note, I am going to hand you over to Helen Davidson for the evening coverage. |
| Stay safe and pay attention to the warnings in your area. And please – take care of you. | |
| QUEENSLAND | QUEENSLAND |
| * 7 bushfires burning | * 7 bushfires burning |
| * 250,000 hectares burned | * 250,000 hectares burned |
| * 45 homes confirmed destroyed | * 45 homes confirmed destroyed |
| WESTERN AUSTRALIA | WESTERN AUSTRALIA |
| * More than 40 bushfires burning, two of significance | * More than 40 bushfires burning, two of significance |
| * 1.2 million hectares burned | * 1.2 million hectares burned |
| * One home confirmed destroyed | * One home confirmed destroyed |
| TASMANIA | TASMANIA |
| * More than 30 bushfires burning, seven of significance | * More than 30 bushfires burning, seven of significance |
| * 8,000 hectares burned | |
| * One home confirmed destroyed | * One home confirmed destroyed |
| AAP has put together a wrap of the bushfire season so far. | |
| Australia’s catastrophic 2019 bushfire season at a glance: | Australia’s catastrophic 2019 bushfire season at a glance: |
| NSW | NSW |
| * 15 lives lost, four in the past 24 hours | * 15 lives lost, four in the past 24 hours |
| * Two people remain missing | * Two people remain missing |
| * More than 100 bushfires burning | * More than 100 bushfires burning |
| * 3.6 million hectares burned, greater than the size of Belgium | * 3.6 million hectares burned, greater than the size of Belgium |
| * 1,087 homes confirmed destroyed | |
| VICTORIA | VICTORIA |
| * One person dead, four more missing | * One person dead, four more missing |
| * More than 40 bushfires of significance burning | * More than 40 bushfires of significance burning |
| * More than 500,000 hectares burned | * More than 500,000 hectares burned |
| * 68 structures confirmed destroyed but this number is expected to rise significantly | * 68 structures confirmed destroyed but this number is expected to rise significantly |
| SOUTH AUSTRALIA | SOUTH AUSTRALIA |
| * Two lives lost | * Two lives lost |
| * About 20 bushfires burning, seven of significance | * About 20 bushfires burning, seven of significance |
| * More than 60,000 hectares burned | * More than 60,000 hectares burned |
| * More than 90 homes confirmed destroyed | * More than 90 homes confirmed destroyed |
| Tex Perkins has been in the news today for his dedication to the prime minister during last night’s New Year’s Eve celebrations. | |
| He’s also putting on this: | He’s also putting on this: |
| That emergency warning for Sunbury comes after a bushfire on Canterbury Avenue began burning out of control. | That emergency warning for Sunbury comes after a bushfire on Canterbury Avenue began burning out of control. |
| Authorities are urging residents on Settlers Way and Enterprize Drive to leave now, with the fire expected to hit within the next 20 minutes. | Authorities are urging residents on Settlers Way and Enterprize Drive to leave now, with the fire expected to hit within the next 20 minutes. |
| An emergency warning has been issued for Sunbury in Victoria – leave now if you can. | An emergency warning has been issued for Sunbury in Victoria – leave now if you can. |
| The Australian Defence Force helicopters sent from Townsville to help with the Victorian fires should arrive this afternoon. | The Australian Defence Force helicopters sent from Townsville to help with the Victorian fires should arrive this afternoon. |
| This smoke pollution is showing no sign of moving on today: | This smoke pollution is showing no sign of moving on today: |
| And here is the Choules leaving Sydney Harbour: | And here is the Choules leaving Sydney Harbour: |
| Victorian police have also sent vessels to Mallacoota: | Victorian police have also sent vessels to Mallacoota: |
| Meanwhile, fires are merging in South Australia. | Meanwhile, fires are merging in South Australia. |
| From AAP: | From AAP: |
| The defence department has just provided an update through the ABC on when the humanitarian ship, HMAS Choules, will arrive in Mallacoota. | The defence department has just provided an update through the ABC on when the humanitarian ship, HMAS Choules, will arrive in Mallacoota. |