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| Australia fires: NSW state of emergency declared as 17 missing in Victoria bushfires – live | Australia fires: NSW state of emergency declared as 17 missing in Victoria bushfires – live |
| (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 |
| I’ve just spoken with Brendan, a Mallacoota resident who has been tweeting updates from the town over the past few days. | |
| He’s lived in the East Gippsland town for six months, following his sister who moved their five years ago, and their parents who have lived there for a decade. | |
| The families decided to stay, and to defend his sister’s house. | |
| Brendan’s house is in town, and his parents live further out in a heavily wooded area. They decided his sister’s place was the most defendable should the fire come through. | |
| “It got pretty intense towards the end. Our plans were to be prepared to fight the embers,” he said. | |
| “There was flame just one house away really. We got CFA support at the very last second. But had we not held it back we would have run downstairs and huddled in the corner for the front to pass.” | |
| The family have pooled their resources and won’t be evacuating. At a community briefing this afternoon, people were told that the elderly and infirm would be evacuated by air if they wanted to to leave. Everyone else who was willing and able to go would be taken out on HMAS Choules, in groups of about 500 to 1000 people, he said. | |
| “It’s not a cruise ship, it’s a navy ship, they’re not guaranteed a bed. They have to climb aboard by a rope.” | |
| He said the mood inside the packed community hall was one of concern, but people were happy the government was doing something to help them. | |
| “There were a lot of visitors here who were not prepared for [the fire],” he said. | |
| “The locals here have been expecting it for quite a while. I mean, you never fully comprehend it but they know we were due for a bushfire.” | |
| I asked him what he thinks the future of the town will be. | |
| “This is a difficult question to answer. We chose to live here for good reason. It’s a fantastic part of the world. | |
| The infrastructure... has been saved by the CFA. The cafe is intact. The school is mostly intact. It means we have a good chance to have a working community. | |
| We think about 20% of the towns buildings were destroyed, so there are a lot of displaced long term residents, and we don’t know how many will rebuild.” | |
| The Bermagui and Eden evacuation centres have been closed, as authorities say they can’t guarantee people’s safety, 10 News is reporting. | The Bermagui and Eden evacuation centres have been closed, as authorities say they can’t guarantee people’s safety, 10 News is reporting. |
| Instead, people should go to Club Sapphire at Merimbula, or the Bega Showground. | Instead, people should go to Club Sapphire at Merimbula, or the Bega Showground. |
| Wagga Wagga councillor Vanessa Keenan has been thinking about the deputy PM, Michael McCormack. | Wagga Wagga councillor Vanessa Keenan has been thinking about the deputy PM, Michael McCormack. |
| Here’s a quick news report from Nine about Morrison’s visit to firegrounds today (and the press conference earlier). | Here’s a quick news report from Nine about Morrison’s visit to firegrounds today (and the press conference earlier). |
| This report from AAP has more details on the road chaos and related details. | This report from AAP has more details on the road chaos and related details. |
| Fuel shortages and long queues are hampering efforts to escape NSW and Victorian bushfire-hit areas. | Fuel shortages and long queues are hampering efforts to escape NSW and Victorian bushfire-hit areas. |
| Victorian authorities have urged tourists and locals to leave the state’s alpine and East Gippsland regions on Thursday. | Victorian authorities have urged tourists and locals to leave the state’s alpine and East Gippsland regions on Thursday. |
| In NSW, people near Batlow have been asked to leave on Thursday while holidaymakers in the alps and between Nowra and the Victorian border should be out by Friday afternoon. | In NSW, people near Batlow have been asked to leave on Thursday while holidaymakers in the alps and between Nowra and the Victorian border should be out by Friday afternoon. |
| While supplies are high in most communities, fuel has been restricted at some sites to guarantee that enough remains for firefighters. | While supplies are high in most communities, fuel has been restricted at some sites to guarantee that enough remains for firefighters. |
| Restocking tanks is also an issue, with emergency services due to escort petrol tankers into Moruya on Thursday night. | Restocking tanks is also an issue, with emergency services due to escort petrol tankers into Moruya on Thursday night. |
| A 50-litre limit per person was imposed at one Moruya petrol station when it faced running dry within hours with a line stretching more than a kilometre. | A 50-litre limit per person was imposed at one Moruya petrol station when it faced running dry within hours with a line stretching more than a kilometre. |
| Drivers had already bought 55,000 litres in half a day of trade – double January’s daily average. | Drivers had already bought 55,000 litres in half a day of trade – double January’s daily average. |
| Further south, some sites at Merimbula, Bairnsdale and Lakes Entrance have run out of either petrol or diesel. | Further south, some sites at Merimbula, Bairnsdale and Lakes Entrance have run out of either petrol or diesel. |
| Deliveries have been made to key centres Batemans Bay and Eden, where demand remains high. | Deliveries have been made to key centres Batemans Bay and Eden, where demand remains high. |
| Caltex said it was doing what it could to deliver more fuel to bushfire-affected areas. | Caltex said it was doing what it could to deliver more fuel to bushfire-affected areas. |
| “We thank our customers for their patience as we manage the increased demand at this difficult time,” Caltex spokesman Richard Baker said in a statement. | “We thank our customers for their patience as we manage the increased demand at this difficult time,” Caltex spokesman Richard Baker said in a statement. |
| NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian on Thursday said she was relieved some towns had power and other services restored. | NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian on Thursday said she was relieved some towns had power and other services restored. |
| “We encourage people to exercise caution [driving out],” she told reporters on Thursday. | “We encourage people to exercise caution [driving out],” she told reporters on Thursday. |
| “We do appreciate that for some, it is difficult to access supplies but it’s much easier than what it was yesterday and the day before.” | “We do appreciate that for some, it is difficult to access supplies but it’s much easier than what it was yesterday and the day before.” |
| Just in from the RFS, there is a total fire ban for the next two days. Commencing at midnight tonight, it covers all NSW local government areas. | Just in from the RFS, there is a total fire ban for the next two days. Commencing at midnight tonight, it covers all NSW local government areas. |
| No fires may be lit in the open and all fire permits are suspended during a total fire ban. | No fires may be lit in the open and all fire permits are suspended during a total fire ban. |
| The NSW RFS has just issued its fourth leave zone declaration, this time for the Snowy Monaro region. These declarations are directed towards tourists and/or residents in the areas to say they need to leave before Saturday. | The NSW RFS has just issued its fourth leave zone declaration, this time for the Snowy Monaro region. These declarations are directed towards tourists and/or residents in the areas to say they need to leave before Saturday. |
| Keep in mind the road chaos at the moment, and exercise some patience – the NSW police said conditions are continuously changing and sections of roads closing and opening periodically as the fire emergency continues. | Keep in mind the road chaos at the moment, and exercise some patience – the NSW police said conditions are continuously changing and sections of roads closing and opening periodically as the fire emergency continues. |
| The four zones are:Snowy Monaro: tourist leave zoneShoalhaven: leave zoneBatlow/Wondalga: leave zoneSouth coast: tourist leave zone | The four zones are:Snowy Monaro: tourist leave zoneShoalhaven: leave zoneBatlow/Wondalga: leave zoneSouth coast: tourist leave zone |
| A quick roundup of the most serious fires across the states. | A quick roundup of the most serious fires across the states. |
| In NSW there are no emergency level fires, just three watch and acts. But there are serious concerns over the Dunns Road fire, which has prompted the evacuation of Kosciuszko national park. | In NSW there are no emergency level fires, just three watch and acts. But there are serious concerns over the Dunns Road fire, which has prompted the evacuation of Kosciuszko national park. |
| In Victoria there are 11 watch and act warnings for fires, predominately in the East Gippsland region. | In Victoria there are 11 watch and act warnings for fires, predominately in the East Gippsland region. |
| In South Australia there is one watch and act on Kangaroo Island – that’s the Ravine fire. | In South Australia there is one watch and act on Kangaroo Island – that’s the Ravine fire. |
| In Western Australia there is one emergency warning for a fire at the Balladonia roadhouse in Dundas. That fire is threatening lives and homes. | In Western Australia there is one emergency warning for a fire at the Balladonia roadhouse in Dundas. That fire is threatening lives and homes. |
| In Tasmania there are six watch and act warnings issued for fires near Hobart and in the north-east. | In Tasmania there are six watch and act warnings issued for fires near Hobart and in the north-east. |
| Good afternoon everyone. Helen here to take you through the evening. | Good afternoon everyone. Helen here to take you through the evening. |
| The pressing concern at the moment is traffic. Thousands of people have taken to the roads, ordered to get out of the south coast regions before Saturday. But it’s gridlock with road closures, grass fires and other delays. We are getting reports and seeing vision of cars at standstill, with the main pinchpoints seeming to be at Ulladulla to the north and Cooma to the south-west. | The pressing concern at the moment is traffic. Thousands of people have taken to the roads, ordered to get out of the south coast regions before Saturday. But it’s gridlock with road closures, grass fires and other delays. We are getting reports and seeing vision of cars at standstill, with the main pinchpoints seeming to be at Ulladulla to the north and Cooma to the south-west. |
| If you are there and know more, please get in touch. | If you are there and know more, please get in touch. |
| I am going to hand you over to Helen Davidson for the remainder of the evening. | I am going to hand you over to Helen Davidson for the remainder of the evening. |
| I’ll be back with my colleagues tomorrow – take care of you. | I’ll be back with my colleagues tomorrow – take care of you. |
| FFS. NSW police media have just released this statement: | FFS. NSW police media have just released this statement: |
| A man will face court today charged after a fire was allegedly deliberately lit in Sydney’s east yesterday.About 3.30pm (Wednesday 1 January 2020), police were called to a small park in Cox Avenue, Bondi Beach, following reports of a small fire after a brown paper bag filled with dried leaves had allegedly been deliberately lit. | A man will face court today charged after a fire was allegedly deliberately lit in Sydney’s east yesterday.About 3.30pm (Wednesday 1 January 2020), police were called to a small park in Cox Avenue, Bondi Beach, following reports of a small fire after a brown paper bag filled with dried leaves had allegedly been deliberately lit. |
| Officers from Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command attended and were approached by members of the public, who had extinguished the fire and followed a man leaving the scene.Police spoke with the 34-year-old man before searching him and seizing a cigarette lighter. | Officers from Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command attended and were approached by members of the public, who had extinguished the fire and followed a man leaving the scene.Police spoke with the 34-year-old man before searching him and seizing a cigarette lighter. |
| He was taken to Waverley police station and charged with intentionally cause fire and be reckless to its spread. | He was taken to Waverley police station and charged with intentionally cause fire and be reckless to its spread. |
| The Bondi man was refused bail to appear at Parramatta bail court today. | The Bondi man was refused bail to appear at Parramatta bail court today. |
| Our neighbour, Indonesia, is experiencing its worse flooding in a decade as Australia burns. | Our neighbour, Indonesia, is experiencing its worse flooding in a decade as Australia burns. |