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Scott Morrison announces recovery effort with ‘months to go’ in bushfire crisis in NSW and Victoria – latest updates
Australia fires live: NSW and Victoria bushfires crisis has 'months to go' as Morrison announces recovery effort – 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 updates
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 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.
Asked if Labor could also be accused of playing politics with this - which is what it is accusing the government of having done - Ed Husic has this to say:
Many of those people have moved north, to Merimbula, which also looks like the gates of hell have been opened.
Ed Husic is speaking to David Speers about the government’s response and the ad:
Ben Shepherd from the NSW RFS just clarified the Eden advice (in case there was any further confusion) on the ABC:
Totally normal.
Ian Campbell, the emergency operations spokesman for the Bega Valley shire council, has just spoken to ABC local radio about the situation in Eden and its surrounds. He says most residents have already left the town. But the message to those who remain is to monitor the situation closely.
He said: ”Many people have left Eden this morning on the back of advice from NSW police and the Rural Fire Service. Certainly for those still in Eden, it’s crucial that you monitor conditions, get yourself in a safe place, and be aware of what’s going on.”It’s clear that properties just south of Eden have already been lost. Fire and Rescue NSW units in Eden reported an hour ago that they had just attended a house on Jim McMahon Drive in Kiah. A “very slow fire” was travelling through the area and had destroyed some homes.
And for those needing help with their insurance claims.
So much of our wildlife is in distress.
Australia’s smoke is still reaching New Zealand.
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.
Just a little update on the situation in Eden.
There is some conflicting information coming out about evacuation advice.
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.
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.
But the Rural Fire Service says no evacuation order is in place for Eden.
We’re trying to get some clarity on this.
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.
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.
Someone might need to let Scott Morrison know, given his comments this morning:
