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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 updates | 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 updates |
| These fires are about 1.3km apart. | |
| I’ve just had a chat to a semi-retired bulldozer operator at Whorouly in northeast Victoria, where the Abbeyard fire is burning at an emergency warning level. | |
| Doug Hamilton’s family company handles local earthmoving and fire-break contracts for Hancocks Victorian Plantation Holdings (which owns the pine plantations which flank the hills on the way to Bright) as well as the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, and the CFA. They have about 15 bulldozers in the field building fire breaks today but Hamilton is not coordinating that. | |
| He’s at their home and business headquarters at Whorouly, which is also under an evacuation alert, preparing it for the possible arrival of fire. | |
| Asked how this compared to other fire seasons he had experienced in the Ovens region, he said: “I don’t recall anything so big as this, so early in the season. And this is not about to go out either, I don’t think.” | |
| The Victorian alpine region, including the area around Mt Buffalo, burned in 2002-2003, 2006-2007 and 2009. The total area burned in Victoria so far this summer has already exceeded those fires, topping 1.2m hectares. | |
| Hamilton again: “It’s not good. It’s not a lot of fun. I feel for everyone involved. There would be nothing like four inches of good rain right about now.” | |
| The main Abbeyard fire is currently 60,000ha in size and spot fires have been reported at its western edge, at Whorouly South and Carboor. There’s an emergency warning current for the King Valley and Whitfield on the western edge, and Mt Hotham which is sandwiched between that and another fire. | |
| Evacuate now warnings have been issued for three sides of the Abbeyard fire, taking in almost all of the King and Ovens River valleys. | |
| I’ve spent the past day or so seeking some clarification around the NSW and Queensland compensation schemes for volunteer firefighters. | |
| This week the Queensland government released details about its scheme. NSW’s is expected to be the same but they haven’t released as much detail. | |
| The federally-funded but state-administered scheme provides for “income lost” by firefighters, capped at $300 per day, depending on what the individual earns after tax, up to a total of $6,000 per firefighter, with proof of lost income. | |
| They must have volunteered as part of an operational response to bushfires or provided direct operational support between 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020, and it doesn’t include non-emergency operations such as hazard reduction burns, or catering and brigade support. | |
| Eligible volunteers must have experienced loss of income from being self-employed, or from being an employee of a business with annual turnover of less than $50m, and who has exhausted all paid leave entitlements (not including long service leave, annual recreational leave, or sick leave). | |
| Casual employees can claim for lost income if they were volunteering on a day they were rostered to work. | |
| However, the eligibility requirements released this week have caused concern. Below are clarifications or responses to those concerns. | |
| The payments only kick in after a volunteer has spent 10 days in total on the fireground, and only pays for the loss of income in the days which follow. | |
| A spokesman for natural disaster response minister, David Littleproud, defended the threshold. | |
| “The 10 days volunteering is a qualifying period for the government’s reimbursement for volunteer firefighters. This is a sensible period of volunteering before being eligible for the reimbursement.” | |
| The RFSA also defended it, saying the vast majority of volunteers are happy putting their time in and they haven’t heard many complaints about people really suffering, although a few people have said they’ll be applying to the scheme. | |
| The compensation payments cover only the hours of work lost – for instance, someone who misses a 9am-5pm work day to fight a fire until 11pm will only be paid for eight hours’ work. | |
| This is true, however Guardian Australia understands a volunteer would be covered for lost income if they were unable to go to work because they had been fighting fires all through the previous night and needed to sleep. There is some confusion around this, though. The Queensland scheme helpline wasn’t across the details so much, and the NSW government directed queries to Littleproud. | |
| Self-employed farmers have also balked at the scheme, querying how they can prove lost income. | |
| “The real problem is that, even in a good season, and we’re in the worst season this area has ever experienced, we don’t have a regular workday income,” Burnett Creek grazier Glenn Fearby told the Fassifern Guardian, which first reported the restrictions. | |
| Guardian Australia understands this part of the scheme is still being worked on but that it is expected to use current provisions for quantifying the value of a particular farmer’s income value in a day, and it would take into account the season but not the drought. | |
| The RFS have just issued the first emergency alert for a fire in NSW today. Multiple fires have reached emergency in Victoria already. | |
| The fire is “spreading quickly northeast of Coonabarabran”. | |
| “If you are in Dandry Rd, Tandarra & Galaxy Estate, you are at risk. It is too late to leave.” | |
| Conditions will worsen across NSW as the southerly comes through. The bureau have just also issued an updated wind prediction – it will come through later than previously thought. | |
| 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. | 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. | 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 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. | 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. | Speaking of football, The Matildas have just begun their charity auction too. |
| First up: Hayley Raso’s game boots from the World Cup. | 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 full 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 4-6pm 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: |