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Australia fires live: third death in Victoria confirmed as NSW bushfires communities assess damage – latest updates Australia fires live: third death in Victoria confirmed as NSW bushfires communities assess damage – latest updates
(32 minutes later)
Scott Morrison to tour island where there are grave fears for unique wildlife. NSW and Victorian communities clean up during a brief period of cooler weather. Follow the latest news and live updates Scott Morrison tours island where there are grave fears for unique wildlife. NSW and Victorian communities clean up during a brief period of cooler weather. Follow the latest news and live updates
The Asthma Council wants the government to change - and standardise the way we measure air quality, and invest in real-time reporting, given the hazardous air conditions across the country: Residents of New South Wales may also have noticed poor air quality has descended across the state today.
In Sydney, large parts of the city registered over 200 on NSW Health’s air quality index, while Wollongong reached 458, Goulburn reached 435 and Albury reached 456.
Over 200 is considered hazardous by NSW Health.
And here’s Australian cricket captain Tim Paine and spinner Nathan Lyon meeting RFS volunteers in Wingello in the Southern Highlands.
Hi all, Naaman here taking over the blog. Thanks again to Amy for her work today.
The Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, has called for a national ecological audit – conducted by all state and territory environment ministers – to ascertain how many animals have been killed in the fires.
Estimates from the University of Sydney’s Chris Dickman say a billion animals have died. According to Dickman, these calculations themselves are based on “highly conservative estimates” of animal populations in the affected areas – so could be higher.
Albanese is also calling for more funding to the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre, which studies bushfire prevention.
I am going to leave you with Naaman Zhou for the remainder of the afternoon.
Just to reiterate – fire conditions are set to return to dangerous levels from tomorrow. Please follow authorities’ advice and, particularly if you are in the north-east of Victoria or within the region of the Kangaroo Island fire, please consider leaving now.
Take care of you.
Earlier, Labor suggested the nation’s environment ministers get together to conduct a national audit of wildlife and environment lost in the bushfires.
The Greens MP Sarah Hanson-Young has also suggested a “fighting fund” be established to help wildlife recover:
Further on from what we were saying about disaster payments being made tax-free, Josh Frydenberg has released this update:
Because we could all do with a pick-me-up, here’s some footage of a firefighter returning home to his family after almost two weeks away:
The Asthma Council wants the government to change – and standardise the way we measure air quality, and invest in real-time reporting, given the hazardous air conditions across the country:
The Australian Council of Social Service CEO, Cassandra Goldie, has asked the government to increase the individual disaster recovery payments. From her statement:The Australian Council of Social Service CEO, Cassandra Goldie, has asked the government to increase the individual disaster recovery payments. From her statement:
Acoss has also established a ‘how to help’ guide, you’ll find here.Acoss has also established a ‘how to help’ guide, you’ll find here.
Lizzo is in Australia and has put herself to work helping volunteers in Victoria:Lizzo is in Australia and has put herself to work helping volunteers in Victoria:
“I am just stunned and I would ask them to reconsider – there is a time for protests, and it is not this Friday,” says Lisa Neville to protesters who plan to continue their climate protest on Friday.“I am just stunned and I would ask them to reconsider – there is a time for protests, and it is not this Friday,” says Lisa Neville to protesters who plan to continue their climate protest on Friday.
Neville says it is not about the issue, but because police are already stretched across fire-ravaged communities, and the state needs them to keep doing that and not be called back to Melbourne to monitor the protest.Neville says it is not about the issue, but because police are already stretched across fire-ravaged communities, and the state needs them to keep doing that and not be called back to Melbourne to monitor the protest.
Andrew Crisp says authorities are also worried about new fires, with thunderstorms expected, which can also bring lightning risks.Andrew Crisp says authorities are also worried about new fires, with thunderstorms expected, which can also bring lightning risks.
Matt Kavanagh was killed while working on preventing new fires from starting.Matt Kavanagh was killed while working on preventing new fires from starting.
On the day he died, he had extinguished seven unattended camp fires, preventing other blazes from taking hold.On the day he died, he had extinguished seven unattended camp fires, preventing other blazes from taking hold.
Across the other states:Across the other states:
QUEENSLANDQUEENSLAND
19 bushfires across the state19 bushfires across the state
2.5m hectares burnt2.5m hectares burnt
48 homes confirmed destroyed48 homes confirmed destroyed
WESTERN AUSTRALIAWESTERN AUSTRALIA
32 bushfires burning in the Goldfield-Esperance region, Wheatbelt, Pilbara, Perth region and south-east32 bushfires burning in the Goldfield-Esperance region, Wheatbelt, Pilbara, Perth region and south-east
1.7m hectares burnt1.7m hectares burnt
One home confirmed destroyedOne home confirmed destroyed
TASMANIATASMANIA
14 bushfires burning across the state’s north, east and south14 bushfires burning across the state’s north, east and south
More than 32,000 hectares burntMore than 32,000 hectares burnt
Two homes confirmed destroyedTwo homes confirmed destroyed
ACTACT
No fires burningNo fires burning
NORTHERN TERRITORYNORTHERN TERRITORY
No bushfires burningNo bushfires burning
Five homes confirmed destroyedFive homes confirmed destroyed
Here is the situation on Wednesday afternoon, state by state:Here is the situation on Wednesday afternoon, state by state:
(via AAP)(via AAP)
NSWNSW
20 people dead20 people dead
119 fires continue to burn with up to 50 uncontained119 fires continue to burn with up to 50 uncontained
Almost 5m hectares burned - equal to the metro areas of the five mainland state capitalsAlmost 5m hectares burned - equal to the metro areas of the five mainland state capitals
1,687 homes confirmed destroyed, more than 3300 outbuildings and 168 facilities razed1,687 homes confirmed destroyed, more than 3300 outbuildings and 168 facilities razed
VICTORIAVICTORIA
Three people dead (including forest fire management firefighter, Matt Kavanagh)Three people dead (including forest fire management firefighter, Matt Kavanagh)
12 bushfires burning in the Gippsland, north-east and alpine regions12 bushfires burning in the Gippsland, north-east and alpine regions
More than 1.2m hectares burntMore than 1.2m hectares burnt
More than 200 homes confirmed destroyed with total expected to riseMore than 200 homes confirmed destroyed with total expected to rise
SOUTH AUSTRALIASOUTH AUSTRALIA
Three people deadThree people dead
Six fires burning on Kangaroo IslandSix fires burning on Kangaroo Island
More than 274,000 hectares burntMore than 274,000 hectares burnt
161 homes confirmed destroyed, along with 413 sheds and outhouses161 homes confirmed destroyed, along with 413 sheds and outhouses
Just an update – Friday will bring the next big fire threat.Just an update – Friday will bring the next big fire threat.
If you are in a fire zone, authorities are recommending you leave now.If you are in a fire zone, authorities are recommending you leave now.
Fire behavioural analysts are coming in to help Victorian authorities predict the path of the fire, given we have seen bushfires exceed the worst-case scenario modelling.
Andrew Crisp, the Victorian emergency management chief, says that Victoria has asked for more help from the US:
Authorities are getting stronger in their messages to people at risk from the fires – they are telling people to get out ahead of Friday’s worsening conditions.
There are no mandatory evacuations as yet, but they could come. In the meantime, the advice is to go, as far ahead in advance of Friday as is possible.
Lisa Neville:
Lisa Neville:
Lisa Neville says the crash that claimed Matt Kavanagh, a married father of two, happened last Friday, but a police investigation has now confirmed it was a fire-related death.
The CBA’s chief economist has had a look at the impact of the fires on the wider Australian community.
Here are some of the takeaways:
What are the implications?
The extensive bushfires have extracted a horrible toll on lives and property. But as always Australians will bounce back. Over the past 28 years, Australia has regularly experienced bushfires, drought, floods and cyclones. Some events have weighed on economic activity. But there has also been the recovery as Australians rebuild and attempt to resume some form of normality.
The bushfires and drought will keep upward pressure on food prices.
The bushfires and eastern Australian drought are occurring at a time when consumer and business spending is restrained. So the natural disasters could have a longer-term impact. The chances of recession have lifted. So the onus is on state and federal governments to respond together with the Reserve Bank.
The Australian fires, the smoke and the drought have had significant international attention. And the natural disasters of fire and drought have had a much wider geographical impact on Australia than events in the past. As a result there could be short- to medium-term negative effects on tourism – especially as budding tourists add smoke haze to the list of factors they weigh up when deciding potential holiday destinations.
Victoria’s emergency services minister, Lisa Neville, has confirmed the death of Matt Kavanagh.
She is expected to hold a press conference very soon.
Daniel Andrews mentioned this accident earlier this week:
South Australian authorities are giving a warning to residents of Vivonne Bay on Kangaroo Island – it’s a pre-emptive warning, in case the fire breaks its containment lines in tomorrow’s more dangerous fire conditions.
The fire is not headed there now, but authorities are worried it will head there very, very quickly if the fire gets past the control lines.
Just a reminder that tomorrow will bring the start of dangerous fire conditions once again.
We have had a brief reprieve in some areas, but temperatures in some parts are going to hit 40C again by Friday.
On top of that, is a return of the winds.
It is not expected to be as bad as what was seen on New Year’s Day, but it’s not great either.
Air quality continues to be a problem across large regions of Australia: