This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2020/jan/05/nsw-fires-live-updates-victoria-bushfires-south-australia-fire-sa-bushfire-near-rfs-cfa-latest-news

The article has changed 27 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 10 Version 11
Scott Morrison announces recovery effort with ‘months to go’ in bushfire crisis in NSW and Victoria – latest updates Scott Morrison announces recovery effort with ‘months to go’ in bushfire crisis in NSW and Victoria – latest updates
(32 minutes later)
NSW RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons says he was frustrated to learn of ADF deployment from the media. Follow all today’s live news and latest updatesNSW RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons says he was frustrated to learn of ADF deployment from the media. Follow all today’s live news and latest updates
Journalists on the ground in Eden, are reporting police told people gathered at the Eden wharf they had to evacuate - unless they were fully prepared to protect their property.
Many of those people have moved north, to Merimbula, which also looks like the gates of hell have been opened.
Just a little update on the situation in Eden.
There is some conflicting information coming out about evacuation advice.
Police and the Bega Valley shire council are telling people to leave to Merimbula or Bega immediately.
But the Rural Fire Service says no evacuation order is in place for Eden.
We’re trying to get some clarity on this.
In his press conference earlier, Scott Morrison argued that his government had always drawn the link between climate change and the bush fires and that was not in dispute.
Someone may want to tell backbencher Craig Kelly that.
Not 24 hours ago, he was on BBC radio in the UK telling listeners that scientists claim there is no link between the fires, the drought, and climate change:
HOST: So just to be clear, Mr Kelly. I want to be clear in what you’re saying. You are saying there is no link between these fires in your view and global climate change?
KELLY: Well, firstly there is no link. The facts that cause the fires are the drought and the drying of the environment and on this our climate scientists down here have been very clear and they have said that there is no link between drought and climate change. This claim seems to be the one often evoked on Sky News. The claim that the climate scientist who they quote has repeatedly said is being misquoted. When asked if he was speaking for many Australians, Labor MP Catherine King explained where Kelly sits:
HOST: But Mr Kelly is speaking, isn’t he, for many Australians who don’t believe this and who believe the economy depends on mining jobs and this is in many ways a damaging plot to undermine the Australian economy.KELLY: *Chuckles* ... That’s not exactly right, but anyway ...
HOST: You’ll have a chance to put it in your own words in a second, Mr Kelly. Catherine King first.
KING: To be quite honest, within the parliament Craig is seen well on the far fringe of these issues. He’s certainly not seen in the middle of these issues. Craig would be one of the people who is on the far right of the climate change debate. I think he would perhaps not describe himself as that, but he doesn’t speak for many Australians. He speaks for a small proportion of Australians who have those views.
The situation is deteriorating in Eden on the far south coast. A bushfire moved quickly up from the NSW-Victorian border last night, as the southerly change moved up the coast and turned fires northward. The fire, dubbed the “border fire”, burned last night from the Victorian border to the southern shores of Twofold Bay.
It has already affected the areas of Wonboyn, Kiah, Narrabarba and surrounds. Properties have been damaged and building impact assessment teams will be deployed to assess the destruction.The border fire is threatening the town of Eden. An update posted on the Bega Valley shire council’s website a short while ago warned Eden residents, including those in Snug Cove Wharf, to leave now and head to Merimbula or Bega. Authorities were still attempting to define the fire line near Eden.
“Eden residents, if you are not prepared to mentally and physically defend you house, leave now,” the advice read. “If you are in the areas of Burragate and Towamba, it is too late to leave. The RFS is advising that you seek shelter as the fire approaches and protect yourself from the heat of the fire.”
Authorities say Merimbula, Pambula and surrounding areas are not under threat. The Princess Highway remains closed at Broadwater to southbound traffic. We’re also getting reports that journalists in Eden to cover the far south coast bushfires are being told to evacuate.
NORTHERN TERRITORY
* No bushfires
* Five homes confirmed destroyed
ACT
* No bushfires
* Significant smoke haze from interstate blazes
QUEENSLAND
* About 30 bushfires burning
* 250,000 hectares burned
* 45 homes confirmed destroyed
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
* 30 bushfires burning
* 1.5m hectares burned
* One home confirmed destroyed
TASMANIA
* 23 bushfires burning, three of significance
* 30,000ha burned
* Two homes confirmed destroyed
Just to update you on the fire situation across the country. Here is what is happening in each state (via AAP):
NSW
* 18 people dead
* 150 bushfires burning, 64 uncontained
* More than 3.6m hectares burned, greater than the size of Belgium
* 1,365 homes confirmed destroyed but number expected to rise significantly
VICTORIA
* Two people dead, seven missing
* About 40 bushfires burning
* More than 970,000ha burned
* 330 structures confirmed destroyed but significantly more expected
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
* Three people dead
* 15 bushfires burning, four of significance
* More than 200,000ha burned
* 88 homes confirmed destroyed but number expected to rise significantly
The Brumbies are (temporarily) leaving Canberra because of the air quality.
The number of people missing in Victoria has risen from six to seven, the police minister, Lisa Neville, says.
Neville and the emergency services commissioner, Andrew Crisp, have been speaking to the media.She says the state of disaster declared on Thursday will “continue today and for the next few days”.
The state of disaster, which gives the government extraordinary powers, will stay in place to help authorities deliver relief to fire-hit communities and “because we also now are facing some more spike days, particularly Thursday and Friday and particularly up in that north-east area where we have got those active fires that have spread and moved around,” Neville says.
Crisp says the emergency is not over.“It is still dynamic, it is still dangerous,” he says.
“You need to be aware of the conditions where you are at the moment.”
The rain will allow emergency services to get into communities that have been cut off but will not end the danger, he says.
“In terms of people thinking that the rain is going to put the fires out, that’s not the case. There is such a drought, there has been such a drought, particularly in these Gippsland areas, we know these fires are with us for a long time.”
So much of the country looks like this at the moment:
My colleague Josh Taylor will have more for you on this in a moment, but Craig Kelly went on BBC radio a little earlier and said there was no link between climate change and these fires.My colleague Josh Taylor will have more for you on this in a moment, but Craig Kelly went on BBC radio a little earlier and said there was no link between climate change and these fires.
He was representing the government when he said it.He was representing the government when he said it.
Labor’s Catherine King, who was also being interviewed, explained that Kelly was on the far right.Labor’s Catherine King, who was also being interviewed, explained that Kelly was on the far right.
Someone might need to let Scott Morrison know, given his comments this morning:Someone might need to let Scott Morrison know, given his comments this morning:
This is distressing – but this is just some of what people are dealing with, and will have to continue dealing with over the next few weeks and months, so it is important.
Victorian authorities say that everyone who wants to get out of Mallacoota should be able to evacuate today.
There are also supplies coming into the town, for those who choose to stay.
Richard Marles on the other hand, did not beat around the bush:
Anthony Albanese held a press conference at the same time as Scott Morrison. As per the transcript, he was asked about Morrison’s leadership, and Shane Fitzsimmons’ criticisms and said he was “determined, during this crisis, to not focus on Scott Morrison”, but the people impacted by the fires.
But he did also mention this:
People in an area near Mt Buffalo have been told to get out before it gets too dangerous to leave.
The area, which stretches from Whorouly South in the north down to the Rose River in the south, is west of an area surrounding Lake Buffalo which the Country Fire Authority ordered evacuated overnight.
A bushfire near Lake Buffalo is burning out of control and there are reports of embers falling into the area around Dandongadale, to the south of the lake, the CFA said.
The CFA said the fire was moving north and heavy smoke over the entire area would make driving dangerous.
They had about six hours to leave, the authority said in a warning issued at 10.47am.
People in the Buffalo River Valley should use the Buffalo River Rd to drive towards Myrtleford, those in South Whorouly and the Carboor area should use the Snow Rd to drive to Wangaratta, the CFA said.
Meanwhile, fresh watch and act warnings have been issued in some of the areas that have already been hit by fires. These include Mallacoota and the Upper Murray area, including Corryong and Walwa.
The last bit on Scott Morrison, on why he thinks there has been criticism of his response to this emergency:
No safe place in Eden
The fire has crossed the Victorian border.
Residents are being told to move on futher to Bega or Merimbula - the wharf is no longer considered safe.