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| NSW fires live updates: RFS warns south coast tourists to leave as Victoria bushfires continue – latest | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| At least nine people have died since Christmas Day, and the RFS is urging people to evacuate the New South Wales South Coast before dangerous conditions on the weekend. Follow the live news and latest updates today | At least nine people have died since Christmas Day, and the RFS is urging people to evacuate the New South Wales South Coast before dangerous conditions on the weekend. Follow the live news and latest updates today |
| It looks like lots of people are heeding the advice of authorities telling people to get out of the NSW south coast in the next 24 hours. | |
| I have received two separate emails from people telling me that the residents in the small NSW community Tumbarumba have been advised to evacuate the town ahead of Saturday. | |
| Fire crews have told residents they can’t guarantee the safety of those in the town with fierce winds predicted. There is currently no phone coverage or electricity. | |
| This area is outside the south coast region where the RFS has said holidaymakers must leave. Roads to the north, south and east are blocked by fire. | |
| Yesterday, the air quality in Canberra was at one point the worst of any city in the world. | Yesterday, the air quality in Canberra was at one point the worst of any city in the world. |
| Yesterday, residents in the isolated community of Cann River were expressing concern about food shortages and other supply issues. Some told media they felt they were being forgotten. | Yesterday, residents in the isolated community of Cann River were expressing concern about food shortages and other supply issues. Some told media they felt they were being forgotten. |
| The town is along the Princes Highway between Orbost and Mallacoota and has been cut off due to the fires. | The town is along the Princes Highway between Orbost and Mallacoota and has been cut off due to the fires. |
| Red Cross packages will be dropped in the town by air today. | Red Cross packages will be dropped in the town by air today. |
| But Constance adds, “once this (the fires) all goes, please come back”. | But Constance adds, “once this (the fires) all goes, please come back”. |
| Tourism is crucial to communities on the south coast, which rely on the extra business during the holiday period. | Tourism is crucial to communities on the south coast, which rely on the extra business during the holiday period. |
| The NSW transport minister, Andrew Constance, is appearing on the ABC right now from the fire-impacted community of Batemans Bay. | The NSW transport minister, Andrew Constance, is appearing on the ABC right now from the fire-impacted community of Batemans Bay. |
| He advises that the Princes Highway is currently open to the north, allowing people to reach Sydney. To get to Canberra, they will have to go through Bega. | He advises that the Princes Highway is currently open to the north, allowing people to reach Sydney. To get to Canberra, they will have to go through Bega. |
| Constance warns Saturday will be a “terrible day” that will force road closures through the area. | Constance warns Saturday will be a “terrible day” that will force road closures through the area. |
| “We don’t want people trapped here because we are going to see, more than likely, the region cut off again, road-wise, potentially electricity-wise,” he says. | “We don’t want people trapped here because we are going to see, more than likely, the region cut off again, road-wise, potentially electricity-wise,” he says. |
| “They’re expecting the forecasts to be as bad as Tuesday, if not worse. We just need people out of the area. That way we can use the valuable resources we’ve got to look after local people.” | “They’re expecting the forecasts to be as bad as Tuesday, if not worse. We just need people out of the area. That way we can use the valuable resources we’ve got to look after local people.” |
| Some more on the prime minister’s activities today. | Some more on the prime minister’s activities today. |
| This was the scene at Narooma yesterday. | This was the scene at Narooma yesterday. |
| The ABC has published this story saying that 250 truck drivers and holidaymakers are stranded at a remote roadhouse on the Nullarbor as a result of out-of-control bushfires. | The ABC has published this story saying that 250 truck drivers and holidaymakers are stranded at a remote roadhouse on the Nullarbor as a result of out-of-control bushfires. |
| The Caiguna Roadhouse, which is 400km east of Norseman along the Eyre Highway, is now running out of toilet paper, beer and essential food items. The highway joins Western Australia and South Australia. | The Caiguna Roadhouse, which is 400km east of Norseman along the Eyre Highway, is now running out of toilet paper, beer and essential food items. The highway joins Western Australia and South Australia. |
| The town has been cut off for extended periods over the past fortnight, the ABC reports, although the fire front is 200km away. | The town has been cut off for extended periods over the past fortnight, the ABC reports, although the fire front is 200km away. |
| We start the day with some sad news. | We start the day with some sad news. |
| The number of homes destroyed on the south coast after fires hit communities on Tuesday has risen from 176 to 381. This is a result of authorities returning to towns to assess the damage. | The number of homes destroyed on the south coast after fires hit communities on Tuesday has risen from 176 to 381. This is a result of authorities returning to towns to assess the damage. |
| The ABC reports that this takes the number of homes lost in NSW over the bushfire season to 1,298. | The ABC reports that this takes the number of homes lost in NSW over the bushfire season to 1,298. |
| Meanwhile, authorities are taking no risks ahead of what is expected to be extreme fire danger conditions on Saturday. | Meanwhile, authorities are taking no risks ahead of what is expected to be extreme fire danger conditions on Saturday. |
| Holidaymakers on the south coast have been told they must leave the area before Saturday. | Holidaymakers on the south coast have been told they must leave the area before Saturday. |
| The map below shows the area involved. | The map below shows the area involved. |
| Good morning. I’m Luke Henriques-Gomes. Thanks for joining us for another day of live bushfire coverage. | Good morning. I’m Luke Henriques-Gomes. Thanks for joining us for another day of live bushfire coverage. |
| Yesterday, the death toll rose as it was confirmed nine people have died since Christmas Day. But authorities are already warning that figure will rise when they are able to enter more communities devastated by the fires on Tuesday. | Yesterday, the death toll rose as it was confirmed nine people have died since Christmas Day. But authorities are already warning that figure will rise when they are able to enter more communities devastated by the fires on Tuesday. |
| We’ll be with you throughout the day. If you want to get in touch, you can send me an email at luke.henriques-gomes@theguardian.com or contact me on Twitter (@lukehgomes). | We’ll be with you throughout the day. If you want to get in touch, you can send me an email at luke.henriques-gomes@theguardian.com or contact me on Twitter (@lukehgomes). |