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Australia fires live: NSW, Victoria and South Australian bushfires flare amid extreme conditions – latest updates Australia fires live: NSW, Victoria and South Australian bushfires flare amid extreme conditions – latest updates
(32 minutes later)
Exhausted firefighters on Kangaroo Island continue to battle blazes while there are fears bushfires could merge in NSW and Victoria. Follow the latest news and live updatesExhausted firefighters on Kangaroo Island continue to battle blazes while there are fears bushfires could merge in NSW and Victoria. Follow the latest news and live updates
Temperatures in Wagga Wagga have hit 41.7C, and are at 40C in Albury, as of a few minutes ago. Fire authorities have fears today that fires in the Snowy Valley will merge soon.
In Victoria, Rutherglen near the NSW border is also at 40C. The bureau of meteorology’s observation station in nearby Corryong is unavailable due to signal losses, and the station in Combienbar, which is being evacuated, is out due to power loss.
And a reminder that if you are a university student or employee, you could also be eligible for disaster payments if affected by the fires.
And in yet more sport – Commonwealth Bank have revealed themselves to be the buyer of Shane Warne’s baggy green, which sold for over a million dollars in a charity auction. The bank will donate the cap to the Bradman Museum in Bowral.
Speaking of football, The Matildas have just begun their charity auction too.
First up: Hayley Raso’s game boots from the World Cup.
One for the football fans out there. A range of A-League clubs have raised money this month – offering signed shirts, charity matches and more. In other sports, Nick Kyrgios, Ash Barty, Shane Warne and dozens of sportspeople have raised millions.One for the football fans out there. A range of A-League clubs have raised money this month – offering signed shirts, charity matches and more. In other sports, Nick Kyrgios, Ash Barty, Shane Warne and dozens of sportspeople have raised millions.
Today, the Central Coast Mariners have perhaps topped them all, with a unique experience that would make any hardened A-League fan’s heart flutter. You could be inside the legendary Masterfoods sauce bottle mascot costume.Today, the Central Coast Mariners have perhaps topped them all, with a unique experience that would make any hardened A-League fan’s heart flutter. You could be inside the legendary Masterfoods sauce bottle mascot costume.
For those who need reminding, the sauce bottle achieved infamy when it was caught on camera giving the finger to visiting fans. It has since gone down in A-League folklore.For those who need reminding, the sauce bottle achieved infamy when it was caught on camera giving the finger to visiting fans. It has since gone down in A-League folklore.
Data editor Nick Evershed went the extra mile to confirm that this is happening with the fully blessing of the NSW club. Data editor Nick Evershed went the extra mile to confirm that this is happening with the full blessing of the NSW club.
Anyone who donates will be in the running to enter the costume – with terms to be finalised.Anyone who donates will be in the running to enter the costume – with terms to be finalised.
The CFA have issued a new emergency warning for Ensay, Swifts Creek, Brookville and surrounding areas in Victoria’s East Gippsland.The CFA have issued a new emergency warning for Ensay, Swifts Creek, Brookville and surrounding areas in Victoria’s East Gippsland.
“Fire activity has increased significantly this afternoon. The south-west wind change is due between 4pm – 6pm and may cause spot fires in private property around Swifts Creek, Brookville and Ensay. “Fire activity has increased significantly this afternoon. The south-west wind change is due between 4-6pm and may cause spot fires in private property around Swifts Creek, Brookville and Ensay.
“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately. It is too late to leave.”“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately. It is too late to leave.”
In America, Trevor Noah and The Daily Show has done a segment on the fires, and their climate change links – plus a global call to donate.In America, Trevor Noah and The Daily Show has done a segment on the fires, and their climate change links – plus a global call to donate.
Emergency ADF National Support Coordinator, Maj Gen Justin “Jake” Ellwood, just finished his daily briefing.Emergency ADF National Support Coordinator, Maj Gen Justin “Jake” Ellwood, just finished his daily briefing.
Ellwood confirmed there are now just under 2,000 reservists on duty to assist with the bushfire effort, as well as three ships providing support and numerous aircraft.Ellwood confirmed there are now just under 2,000 reservists on duty to assist with the bushfire effort, as well as three ships providing support and numerous aircraft.
The situation on Kangaroo Island worsened at 5am today, so the ADF dispatched a C130 and a C17 aircraft to a nearby RAAF base on standby ready to assist.The situation on Kangaroo Island worsened at 5am today, so the ADF dispatched a C130 and a C17 aircraft to a nearby RAAF base on standby ready to assist.
“We thought it prudent to have additional assets in location just in case,” he said.“We thought it prudent to have additional assets in location just in case,” he said.
Two air mobile teams are at the ready to launch if required in the Snowy and Alpine regions today.Two air mobile teams are at the ready to launch if required in the Snowy and Alpine regions today.
The Choules will land at 15.30 AEST in Mallacoota to provide more resources. The ADF have also established an emergency route to Mallacoota that is only accessible via defence’s armoured vehicles.The Choules will land at 15.30 AEST in Mallacoota to provide more resources. The ADF have also established an emergency route to Mallacoota that is only accessible via defence’s armoured vehicles.
One hundred personnel have also been set up in Tasmania on 48 hours notice to move in case conditions there worsen.One hundred personnel have also been set up in Tasmania on 48 hours notice to move in case conditions there worsen.
The exaggerated claims about arson are not restricted to English-language media.The exaggerated claims about arson are not restricted to English-language media.
We shared this earlier but suspect we will be posting it a lot over the next few weeks: police in Victoria say the arson claim is not true.We shared this earlier but suspect we will be posting it a lot over the next few weeks: police in Victoria say the arson claim is not true.
Hi all, this is Naaman Zhou taking over the blog for a while. Thanks to Calla and Helen for their work today.Hi all, this is Naaman Zhou taking over the blog for a while. Thanks to Calla and Helen for their work today.
Lt Col John Pearce, from the Australian army, told reporters in Bairnsdale that ADF personnel had helped Victoria Police conduct aerial evacuations at Combienbar.Lt Col John Pearce, from the Australian army, told reporters in Bairnsdale that ADF personnel had helped Victoria Police conduct aerial evacuations at Combienbar.
He confirmed that some locals in the region, which is on the northern edge of the largest Gippsland fire, had refused to leave but said he could not give numbers on how many people had been evacuated, and how many remained.He confirmed that some locals in the region, which is on the northern edge of the largest Gippsland fire, had refused to leave but said he could not give numbers on how many people had been evacuated, and how many remained.
The helicopters are currently on their way back to the airbase in Sale.The helicopters are currently on their way back to the airbase in Sale.
As the wind picks up over the next 24 hours, Pearce said, the helicopters will be grounded:As the wind picks up over the next 24 hours, Pearce said, the helicopters will be grounded:
The incident controller Brett Mitchell for the Gippsland fires is addressing the media in Bairnsdale right now.
He says fire activity is increasing, and will continue to do so until the wind change arrives between 4pm and 7pm tonight. That wind change will push the fire into private property around Omeo and Swifts Creek.
Mitchell says they currently have water-bombing aircraft putting out spot fires at Buchan South, which has just been made subject to an emergency warning, as well as Omeo and Swifts Creek. An emergency warning for the Omeo and Swifts Creek region will be issued soon, he said.
That wind change will bring winds of up to 70-100km/h as well as a chance of severe thunderstorms with both dry lightning in some parts and rainfall of between 15-20mm per hour in others. That rain is welcome, but it could impact on roads.
The fire at Combienbar, which was subject to an evacuation now warning today, is being managed out of Orbost. Mitchell said he believes an ADF helicopter had been sent to pull people out.
Mitchell:
Mitchell said an evacuation now warning, like that at Combienbar, is different to a mass community evacuation, which must be coordinated ahead of time.
Mitchell said the increased fire activity from the wind change could last until midnight.
Let’s check in with South Australia and the fire burning on Kangaroo Island.
Two people died and 22 people have been injured in that fire, AAP has reported, including CFS volunteers who were injured in a burn-over of two fire trucks.
More from that report by AAP:
The fire was sparked by lightning on 20 December and escalated rapidly last Friday and Saturday, when Dick Lang and his son Clayton were killed as they returned to their family property.
The operators of the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park have been defending their animals against the out-of-control bushfire which has burned through more than a third of the island.
They posted this update on their social media channels:
They said they are not currently taking donations of supplies like towels and pouches until they figure out what they need.
Veterinarians from the Australian army provided urgent care to wildlife — mainly koalas, kangaroos, eagles and possums — in the immediate aftermath of the fire.
Tony Abbott volunteering with the RFS in the Snowy Mountains
Former prime minister Tony Abbott has been spotted among volunteer firefighters stationed near the Snowy Mountains, 115 kilometres south of Canberra, AAP has reported.
The former prime minister received a briefing at Adaminaby, near the Snowy Mountains, where a fire is burning out of control.
Firefighters are bracing for extreme conditions across Victoria, NSW and the ACT.
“I’m one of 70,000 RFS volunteers — let’s hope all of us stay safe and do good work,” Mr Abbott told reporters on Friday.
“The fire season has been the same for me as for everyone else, it’s been long, it’s been arduous.”
Hot weather and strong winds threaten to fan existing blazes burning through the Snowy Mountains region.
Meanwhile, a senior News Corp employee has sent an explosive reply-all email to executive chairman Michael Miller, accusing the company of “misinformation” and diverting attention from climate change during the bushfire crisis.
Chris Knaus as all the details.
If you look at the active fire map on the NSW Rural Fire Service website, you will see two fires burning in the alpine region along the NSW/Victorian border that appear to be burning closer and closer together.
According to a spokesman from the RFS, if those fires have not yet merged today, they are likely to do so “imminently”.
The spokesman told Guardian Australia that the East Ournie Creek fire (that’s the Corryong fire on the NSW side of the border) was only, according to the latest mapping, “a few hundred meters” from the Dunns Road fire (the large fire burning in the Snowys and into Kosciuszko National Park).
The fires appear to be meeting in the vicinity of Clarkes Hill Nature Reserve.
The Perich clan, a wealthy rural family who are behind Australia’s biggest dairy farming group, are donating $1m to the NSW Farmers Natural Disaster Relief Fund.
Money from the donation will be used to support dairy farmers and other primary producers who have had their farms burned, been unable to feed or water their stock or distribute milk, the NSW Farmers Association said.
The Perich family owns Australian Fresh Milk Holdings, the country’s biggest dairy farmer, which milks more than 10,000 cows.
Brothers Tony and Ron Perich run the family empire.“We want this money to reach the farmers and NSW Farmers will make sure that happens,” Tony Perich said. “We want others to join us in supporting this bushfire appeal, our donation is a start and we will encourage everyone we know to help too.”
NSW Farmers president James Jackson said the organisation would be talking to charities to see what direct aid could be immediately provided to dairy farmers.“Once the immediate emergency has passed we will work with impacted farmers to provide ongoing support and implement measures to enhance sustainability of these farm businesses,” he said.
A message from the CFA board
The board of the CFA just issued this message in support of thousands of CFA volunteers, who have been fighting fires across the state, and interstate, for weeks.
The board was briefed at the state control centre in Melbourne this week.
Chairman Greg Smith said the board “has been impressed with the commitment of CFA members, both staff and volunteers, who are giving up their time and leaving family and work commitments to support the intensive bushfire effort”.
Smith said some volunteers had lost their own homes while protecting their communities. He said the focus would be on the welfare of volunteers and other CFA staff.