'Three more deaths confirmed in Australian blazes and hundreds of homes destroyed – as it happened' diff viewer (20/21)

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~~NSW and Victoria fires live: three more deaths confirmed in Australia bushfires and hundreds of homes destroyed – latest updates~~	Three more deaths confirmed in Australia bushfires and hundreds of homes destroyed – as it happened
2020-01-01 07:50:21 UTC	2020-01-01 08:22:20 UTC (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
	We are ending this blog for today.
	While fires continued to burn today they were not as catastrophic as Tuesday. Instead, we learned a lot about the absolute devastation wrought along the NSW south coast and Victoria’s East Gippsland region.
	Nine people have died since Monday, and five are missing.
	Across NSW, Victoria, and South Australia, 17 people have been confirmed dead in bushfires since October.
	NSW RFS commissioner, Shane FitzSimmons, warned the NSW death toll would rise, as further cases were confirmed.
	Fitzsimmons said the lack of communication is making it difficult for authorities to determine who is still missing.
	At least 200 homes were destroyed on the South Coast yesterday, and at least 60 in East Gippsland.
	“If we had 10,000 firefighters we wouldn’t be able to put these fires out,” said deputy RFS commissioner Rob Rogers.
	Authorities said the majority of the south coast fires were the result of ‘natural’ activity – like lightning.
	Saturday is forecast to be worse than yesterday in NSW, across a broader geographic area, with extreme conditions dominating the regions where there are already some of the most damaging and destructive fires burning.
	Two bushfires have merged on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island and are expected to burn for weeks.
	HMAS Choules is expected to arrive at Mallacoota tomorrow morning, for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capability. It’s among a large deployment of ADF assets to assist in evacuations of the thousands of people still stranded, and to replace exhausted fire crews.
	Power is slowly being restored to small parts of the NSW south coast, but is likely to be out for weeks in many places.
	Some roads are beginning to reopen to very restricted traffic this afternoon, as authorities work to have currently stranded people – especially tourists – leave the area before conditions worsen again this weekend.
	Scott Morrison hosted Australian and New Zealand cricketers at Kirribilli House.
There is an active emergency level fire in Western Australia. The warning was issued for parts of Orelia in the city of Kwinana. Homes on Colchester Avenue were under threat from a fire in Sandringham Park which started near the intersection of Colchester Avenue and Dunrobin Avenue and was moving north east.	There is an active emergency level fire in Western Australia. The warning was issued for parts of Orelia in the city of Kwinana. Homes on Colchester Avenue were under threat from a fire in Sandringham Park which started near the intersection of Colchester Avenue and Dunrobin Avenue and was moving north east.
FitzSimmons says the Dunn Road fire is going be upgraded again to an emergency fire as the fire behaviour was increasing and spreading.	FitzSimmons says the Dunn Road fire is going be upgraded again to an emergency fire as the fire behaviour was increasing and spreading.
These fires are in some of NSW’s “most beautiful yet most rugged and difficult-to-access terrain.”	These fires are in some of NSW’s “most beautiful yet most rugged and difficult-to-access terrain.”
“We’ve seen the enormity of damage and destruction which unfolded yesterday and unfortunately Saturday is likely to be worse.”	“We’ve seen the enormity of damage and destruction which unfolded yesterday and unfortunately Saturday is likely to be worse.”
From the premier, Gladys Berejiklian:	From the premier, Gladys Berejiklian:
“Just because you can’t see flames doesn’t mean the road is safe to use. Having seen the number of trees burnt out, having seen the bring alongside these roads, I completely understand why the emergency authorities need to make sure they are safe before people can use them.	“Just because you can’t see flames doesn’t mean the road is safe to use. Having seen the number of trees burnt out, having seen the bring alongside these roads, I completely understand why the emergency authorities need to make sure they are safe before people can use them.
“Having said that, we are grateful for milder weather conditions over the next few days and where roads can be accessed, we will be encouraging tourists especially to move out of those areas while it’s safe to do so, because we are concerned what the weather might bring us on Saturday, given what has been forecast and given what we’ve experienced over the last few days.”	“Having said that, we are grateful for milder weather conditions over the next few days and where roads can be accessed, we will be encouraging tourists especially to move out of those areas while it’s safe to do so, because we are concerned what the weather might bring us on Saturday, given what has been forecast and given what we’ve experienced over the last few days.”
There is an evening update with the NSW premier and senior fire and police chiefs at the NSW RFS headquarters.	There is an evening update with the NSW premier and senior fire and police chiefs at the NSW RFS headquarters.
“We are getting indications with the forecast for Saturday that it is going to present a broader geographic area worse than what we saw yesterday when it comes to fire danger, with a fairly widespread area of extreme conditions which will dominate the south eastern corner of the state, through the southern slopes, southern ranges, parts of the high country and through to places like the Illawarra and Shoalhaven,” Shane FitzSimmons says.	“We are getting indications with the forecast for Saturday that it is going to present a broader geographic area worse than what we saw yesterday when it comes to fire danger, with a fairly widespread area of extreme conditions which will dominate the south eastern corner of the state, through the southern slopes, southern ranges, parts of the high country and through to places like the Illawarra and Shoalhaven,” Shane FitzSimmons says.
“Unfortunately that also correlates with where we’ve got some of the worst and most damaging and destructive of fires burning in New South Wales at the moment.”	“Unfortunately that also correlates with where we’ve got some of the worst and most damaging and destructive of fires burning in New South Wales at the moment.”
Firefighters are keeping a close eye on the Green wattle Creek fire where it has flared up in the north-east corner. Firefighters are addressing it ahead of the worsening conditions later this week.	Firefighters are keeping a close eye on the Green wattle Creek fire where it has flared up in the north-east corner. Firefighters are addressing it ahead of the worsening conditions later this week.
Access from Batemans Bay north will be open to some very restricted access from this afternoon, says NSW police deputy commissioner Worboys.	Access from Batemans Bay north will be open to some very restricted access from this afternoon, says NSW police deputy commissioner Worboys.
“Towards south of Batemans Bay, we will also work with some local roads down the coast that will bring people down in through Bega, and across Brown Mountain, into Coomera, Canberra, and they can make their way up towards Goulburn, up the Hume towards Sydney and out further west.”	“Towards south of Batemans Bay, we will also work with some local roads down the coast that will bring people down in through Bega, and across Brown Mountain, into Coomera, Canberra, and they can make their way up towards Goulburn, up the Hume towards Sydney and out further west.”
He says there’s “a long way to go” but they are working to restore power, with some back on in places like Ulladulla and near Batemans Bay. He says everyone has been very patient and he’s grateful.	He says there’s “a long way to go” but they are working to restore power, with some back on in places like Ulladulla and near Batemans Bay. He says everyone has been very patient and he’s grateful.
“In our evacuation centres that are full, it is trying times, and people have heeded the warnings, they’ve cooperated well, and we just ask them again to continue in that spirit through tonight, into tomorrow, and we look forward to some further power restoration, some more road openings, and of course increased communications up and down the south coast.”	“In our evacuation centres that are full, it is trying times, and people have heeded the warnings, they’ve cooperated well, and we just ask them again to continue in that spirit through tonight, into tomorrow, and we look forward to some further power restoration, some more road openings, and of course increased communications up and down the south coast.”
Two bushfires have merged on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island and are expected to burn for weeks, as firefighters prepare for a dangerous wind change, AAP reports.	Two bushfires have merged on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island and are expected to burn for weeks, as firefighters prepare for a dangerous wind change, AAP reports.
The fires started about five kilometres apart in the inaccessible Ravine Des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area and have burnt through more than 7500 hectares of native vegetation, timber plantations and private property.	The fires started about five kilometres apart in the inaccessible Ravine Des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area and have burnt through more than 7500 hectares of native vegetation, timber plantations and private property.
On Wednesday afternoon the combined fire was uncontrolled and burning in a northerly direction towards Snug Cove.	On Wednesday afternoon the combined fire was uncontrolled and burning in a northerly direction towards Snug Cove.
Firefighters and water-bombing aircraft are focused on protecting assets, but the Country Fire Service said efforts might be hampered by changing weather conditions and poor visibility.	Firefighters and water-bombing aircraft are focused on protecting assets, but the Country Fire Service said efforts might be hampered by changing weather conditions and poor visibility.
If the blaze remains uncontained, northerly winds forecast for Friday could push it towards the Flinders Chase National Park.	If the blaze remains uncontained, northerly winds forecast for Friday could push it towards the Flinders Chase National Park.
For the safety of tourists and the community, the CFS and SA National Parks and Wildlife Service have closed the park from midnight Wednesday until further notice. Extensive road closures are also in place on the western end of the island.	For the safety of tourists and the community, the CFS and SA National Parks and Wildlife Service have closed the park from midnight Wednesday until further notice. Extensive road closures are also in place on the western end of the island.
The CFS has confirmed the Cudlee Creek fire, which broke out on December 20 and destroyed at least 70 homes, has been contained.	The CFS has confirmed the Cudlee Creek fire, which broke out on December 20 and destroyed at least 70 homes, has been contained.