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Australia fires: father and son killed in Cobargo bushfire named as Robert and Patrick Salway – latest updates Australia fires live news: Victoria and NSW bushfires destroy more than 50 properties – latest updates
(32 minutes later)
Four unaccounted for in Victoria after East Gippsland fires claim homes in Buchan, Sarsfield and MallacootaFour unaccounted for in Victoria after East Gippsland fires claim homes in Buchan, Sarsfield and Mallacoota
However, the town of Mallacoota will remain cut off. You’ll remember about 4,000 people were taking shelter on the beach yesterday as fires tore through the area.
Police say they will be taking a boat with four paramedics and water into the town. Later, there will be a larger barge that will bring food, fuel and other supplies to the residents who remain hunkered down there.
The ADF will also arrive later with Blackhawk helicopters to drop off supplies.
Some good news from Victoria. The Princes Highway is going to be reopened for a few hours (10am-12pm) between Orbost and Bairnsdale.
On the ABC, Victorian man Myles Nicholls is speaking from the ruins of his house at Sarsfield, which was razed in the East Gippsland fires.
“The house doesn’t come above my ankles,” he says. “It is totally destroyed.”
Nicholls runs a short-stay accomodation business and native flower farm from his 55-metre property.
“But everything is gone. It’s literally just gone. It will take us some time to re-establish it.”
He says it will take three to five years to reestablish the native flowers.
Guardian Australia photographer Mike Bowers has been on the road as the fires have ravaged New South Wales. Last night he snapped this beautiful shot south of Nowra as the Currowan fire approached.
That fire, which is 229,000ha, is currently at a watch and act.
Air quality in Canberra is reportedly now the worst in the world.Air quality in Canberra is reportedly now the worst in the world.
And there is some more dramatic footage here.And there is some more dramatic footage here.
If you scroll through this Instagram post you will see some incredible footage shot by Goongerah resident India MacDonell using a GoPro.If you scroll through this Instagram post you will see some incredible footage shot by Goongerah resident India MacDonell using a GoPro.
She fought to save her family home with her father as a terrifying inferno closed in on them.She fought to save her family home with her father as a terrifying inferno closed in on them.
The MacDonells are safe, but their property is currently isolated.The MacDonells are safe, but their property is currently isolated.
The two men killed in fires at Cobargo yesterday have been named as Patrick Salway and his dad, Robert Salway.The two men killed in fires at Cobargo yesterday have been named as Patrick Salway and his dad, Robert Salway.
“We are broken,” Renee Salway told friends via Facebook on Tuesday night after her husband’s death was confirmed.“We are broken,” Renee Salway told friends via Facebook on Tuesday night after her husband’s death was confirmed.
“I will see you again Patrick, my best friend.”“I will see you again Patrick, my best friend.”
Police have also also been unable to reach the property of a 72-year-old man who is missing 50km north of Cobargo.Police have also also been unable to reach the property of a 72-year-old man who is missing 50km north of Cobargo.
If you’re affected by the bushfires, we’d like to hear from you. You can share your stories, pictures and videos directly with our journalists via our form here. Your responses will only be seen by the Guardian.If you’re affected by the bushfires, we’d like to hear from you. You can share your stories, pictures and videos directly with our journalists via our form here. Your responses will only be seen by the Guardian.
Though we’d like to hear from you, your security is most important. We recognise it may not always be safe or appropriate to record or share your experiences – so please think about this when deciding whether to record and again when deciding whether to send your content to the Guardian.Though we’d like to hear from you, your security is most important. We recognise it may not always be safe or appropriate to record or share your experiences – so please think about this when deciding whether to record and again when deciding whether to send your content to the Guardian.
Shane Fitzsimmons confirms that Conjola Park has been “heavily impacted” by the fires. The ABC reported that about 50 properties have been destroyed. Fitzsimmons does not put a figure on it, but says “initial reports are that it’s had heavy impact and there are significant damage and destruction to property”.Shane Fitzsimmons confirms that Conjola Park has been “heavily impacted” by the fires. The ABC reported that about 50 properties have been destroyed. Fitzsimmons does not put a figure on it, but says “initial reports are that it’s had heavy impact and there are significant damage and destruction to property”.
The deputy commissioner, Gary Worboys, provides some important information for people in fire-affected areas.
The Public Information and Inquiry Line in NSW is 1800-227-228. It’s for people looking for about where they should go or what they should do. “We would ask people to use it only when they need to.”
He also points people to the Register. Find. Reunite website. It is a Red Cross initiative that allows people to put details in there of themselves and those people they have concerns about.
Fitzsimmons says efforts are focused on shoring up as “much protection and as much consolidation as we can ahead of deteriorating weather conditions expected on Saturday”.
The worst of the conditions will be concentrated along the ranges and the south-east corner of NSW.
The NSW rural fire service commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, says more than 3,000 people were deployed to the fires yesterday.
The Badja fire has inflicted heavy damage throughout towns including Cobargo, Fitzsimmons says.
Berejiklian warns that the community should brace for worsening conditions on the weekend: “Weather conditions on Saturday will be as bad as they were yesterday.”
The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, is speaking at a press conference right now.
She describes yesterday as a “horrible day”. Crews are working on containing the existing fires as they make the most of improved conditions, she says.
Authorities are also working on restoring power to communities on the south coast and clearing roads.
Crisp also provided some information on homes lost in East Gippsland. That included: 24 structures in Buchan, 19 in Sarsfield and more than 10 in Mallacoota.
The Victorian emergency management commissioner, Andrew Crisp, spoke on the ABC earlier this morning.
He confirmed that four people remain unaccounted for in Victoria. Those appears to be the same people that the premier, Daniel Andrews, said authorities held grave fears for yesterday. Crisp said he was still unable to provide more details.
In some good news, Crisp said there were no reported lives lost in Mallacoota, where thousands were forced to take shelter on the beach yesterday.
The ABC is reporting that 50 properties and structures have been destroyed in Conjola Park on the NSW south coast.
The properties were lost when the Currowan fire tore through the town, which is south of Nowra.
The town is among those that remains without power this morning.
More than 100 fires were still burning across NSW at midnight, while in Victoria there were dozens of blazes alight in the East Gippsland region.
In Victoria, there are seven fires still burning at emergency level, but all fires in NSW have been downgraded to watch and act.
Good morning. I’m Luke Henriques-Gomes.
Thanks for joining us and happy new year to you. Yesterday was a day of destruction as fires throughout Victoria and New South Wales claimed two lives and razed homes in East Gippsland and the southern coast. Four people remain unaccounted for in Victoria.
More residents will be returning to their communities today while the defence force will also be involved in the expanding recovery effort.
We’ll be with you throughout the day.