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/10/nsw-fires-live-updates-victoria-bushfires-south-australia-fire-sa-australian-bushfire-near-me-rfs-cfa-latest-news-friday
The article has changed 26 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Australia fires and weather live: NSW and Victoria bushfires expected to flare amid extreme conditions – latest updates | |
| (31 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 | |
| Luke Henriques-Gomes has checked in with the people in the Victorian town of Mallacoota. | |
| Read Luke’s full feature here. | |
| NSW Police have released some details about the helicopter crash yesterday. | NSW Police have released some details about the helicopter crash yesterday. |
| The pilot was conducting aerial waterbombing of fires around Bega and Eden when it crashed into a dam in Boydtown. He’d been refilling a water bucket in the Ben Boyd Reservoir about 4.20pm when the helicopter lost power and “came to rest” in the dam. | The pilot was conducting aerial waterbombing of fires around Bega and Eden when it crashed into a dam in Boydtown. He’d been refilling a water bucket in the Ben Boyd Reservoir about 4.20pm when the helicopter lost power and “came to rest” in the dam. |
| The 47-year-old pilot was able to free himself from the aircraft and make his way to shore,” police said. | The 47-year-old pilot was able to free himself from the aircraft and make his way to shore,” police said. |
| “He was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics for shoulder, back and ankle injuries, before being taken to South East Regional Hospital in a stable condition.” | “He was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics for shoulder, back and ankle injuries, before being taken to South East Regional Hospital in a stable condition.” |
| The dam is closed as a drinking supply and a recovery operation to retrieve the helicopter will be coordinated. Inquiries are continuing. | The dam is closed as a drinking supply and a recovery operation to retrieve the helicopter will be coordinated. Inquiries are continuing. |
| Over on 2GB, Scott Morrison has just been taken to task for doing “too much on climate change”. | Over on 2GB, Scott Morrison has just been taken to task for doing “too much on climate change”. |
| Yes, you heard that right. | Yes, you heard that right. |
| Host John Stanley also lambasted Morrison for not building a new coal-fired power plant. | Host John Stanley also lambasted Morrison for not building a new coal-fired power plant. |
| “You’re aware that a lot of the people who are listening to this program, if Alan was doing the program, their view is you’re doing too much on climate change, you’re doing too much in the renewable space. And then you go around the community and you’re told you’re not doing enough, more needs to be done, you need to ramp up the reduction of emissions. Is that a fair characterisation of the debate and the debate within your own party?” | “You’re aware that a lot of the people who are listening to this program, if Alan was doing the program, their view is you’re doing too much on climate change, you’re doing too much in the renewable space. And then you go around the community and you’re told you’re not doing enough, more needs to be done, you need to ramp up the reduction of emissions. Is that a fair characterisation of the debate and the debate within your own party?” |
| Morrison reckons that’s about right.“Oh John I think in terms of how you’ve characterised the debate nationally, I think it’s a pretty good summary. But what that means is that the policy we have is a balanced one. It’s one that understands the need to take action here ...Stanley interjects: “But that’s not going to satisfy ... the people listening here would say you’re doing too much and they would be demanding that you, for instance, move ahead with a coal-fired power station because that’s going to provide energy security for us.”Sigh. | Morrison reckons that’s about right.“Oh John I think in terms of how you’ve characterised the debate nationally, I think it’s a pretty good summary. But what that means is that the policy we have is a balanced one. It’s one that understands the need to take action here ...Stanley interjects: “But that’s not going to satisfy ... the people listening here would say you’re doing too much and they would be demanding that you, for instance, move ahead with a coal-fired power station because that’s going to provide energy security for us.”Sigh. |
| Morrison goes on to say that the “conflation” of the bushfires and climate policy in the public debate has been “very disappointing”, because no single climate policy caused the fire. | Morrison goes on to say that the “conflation” of the bushfires and climate policy in the public debate has been “very disappointing”, because no single climate policy caused the fire. |
| “We continue to consider our policies carefully here, and we understand we don’t want job destroying, economy destroying, economy wrecking targets and goals which won’t change the fact that there are bushfires or anything like that in Australia. The suggestion that there’s any one emissions reduction policy or climate policy that has contributed to any of these fire events is just ridiculous, the conflation of those two things I think has been very disappointing. | “We continue to consider our policies carefully here, and we understand we don’t want job destroying, economy destroying, economy wrecking targets and goals which won’t change the fact that there are bushfires or anything like that in Australia. The suggestion that there’s any one emissions reduction policy or climate policy that has contributed to any of these fire events is just ridiculous, the conflation of those two things I think has been very disappointing. |
| Over the last few weeks, John, in particular, there has been a lot of misinformation running around, that’s been very disappointing. People have been looking to make political points in many cases, that’s disappointing.” | Over the last few weeks, John, in particular, there has been a lot of misinformation running around, that’s been very disappointing. People have been looking to make political points in many cases, that’s disappointing.” |
| Yep. Morrison’s right. There has been a lot of misinformation around. Like, you know, the bots and trolls exaggerating the role of arson to deflect from climate change’s impact. Or the misinformation about greenies stopping hazard reduction work. | Yep. Morrison’s right. There has been a lot of misinformation around. Like, you know, the bots and trolls exaggerating the role of arson to deflect from climate change’s impact. Or the misinformation about greenies stopping hazard reduction work. |
| Prime minister Scott Morrison was interviewed on 7.30 last night. It’s worth watching the full exchange, but this particular clip goes to the backlash he’s received, in fire-affected areas and elsewhere, and specifically asks about his apparent misspeak on Kangaroo Island in saying there had been no deaths (there have been two - Dick Lang and his son, Clayton). | Prime minister Scott Morrison was interviewed on 7.30 last night. It’s worth watching the full exchange, but this particular clip goes to the backlash he’s received, in fire-affected areas and elsewhere, and specifically asks about his apparent misspeak on Kangaroo Island in saying there had been no deaths (there have been two - Dick Lang and his son, Clayton). |
| Morrison says he was talking about firefighters when he said that (Dick and Clayton were volunteer firefighters). | Morrison says he was talking about firefighters when he said that (Dick and Clayton were volunteer firefighters). |
| Here is a clip of the Kangaroo Island exchange. | Here is a clip of the Kangaroo Island exchange. |
| We’re getting an update from Kangaroo Island where the general message is: firefighters are exhausted and it’s not over yet, although conditions have improved and they’ll be working on reopening roads and restoring power. | We’re getting an update from Kangaroo Island where the general message is: firefighters are exhausted and it’s not over yet, although conditions have improved and they’ll be working on reopening roads and restoring power. |
| Night shift were busy fighting fires and the day shift would have had trouble sleeping. An aircraft crew at Emu Bay also had to be evacuated last night. | Night shift were busy fighting fires and the day shift would have had trouble sleeping. An aircraft crew at Emu Bay also had to be evacuated last night. |
| “Essentially everybody working on this fire not only had a big day yesterday but they had disrupted rest, and we’ve got to keep going,” says CFS incident controller Ian Tanner. | “Essentially everybody working on this fire not only had a big day yesterday but they had disrupted rest, and we’ve got to keep going,” says CFS incident controller Ian Tanner. |
| Last night at fire-threatened Kingscote, residents fled homes and stayed in their cars near the water. | Last night at fire-threatened Kingscote, residents fled homes and stayed in their cars near the water. |
| Fitzsimmons says the big difference today is there has been a sensible and considered response from the community in getting out so there aren’t tens of thousands of people in these towns and there’s been a lot of stocking from communities. | Fitzsimmons says the big difference today is there has been a sensible and considered response from the community in getting out so there aren’t tens of thousands of people in these towns and there’s been a lot of stocking from communities. |
| Fitzsimmons: “Our focus today isn’t just about people and community assets, but we know we have a lot of critical assets which go to the viability and livelihoods of communities.” | Fitzsimmons: “Our focus today isn’t just about people and community assets, but we know we have a lot of critical assets which go to the viability and livelihoods of communities.” |
| NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian says she is proud of the preparedness of authorities in the state but there is no doubt that extreme conditions and extreme events have given them a lot for consideration. | NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian says she is proud of the preparedness of authorities in the state but there is no doubt that extreme conditions and extreme events have given them a lot for consideration. |
| Asked about the various inquiries being announced or flagged, Berejiklian says the crisis goes beyond state borders but responses are run by the states and run quite differently, so it’s appropriate for each state to consider what they do. | Asked about the various inquiries being announced or flagged, Berejiklian says the crisis goes beyond state borders but responses are run by the states and run quite differently, so it’s appropriate for each state to consider what they do. |
| “But we also have to accept that what the nation is facing goes beyond the borders of one state” and so she appreciates why there would be something at the national level as well. | “But we also have to accept that what the nation is facing goes beyond the borders of one state” and so she appreciates why there would be something at the national level as well. |
| NSW RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons is giving a briefing. | NSW RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons is giving a briefing. |
| Communities everywhere across the south of NSW are under threat, and he’s urged people to check information related to their locality. | Communities everywhere across the south of NSW are under threat, and he’s urged people to check information related to their locality. |
| The southerly change will be vigorous and gusty, he said. | The southerly change will be vigorous and gusty, he said. |
| Inland it will be largely from the south-west, and near the coast it will be more from the souther or south-easter. | Inland it will be largely from the south-west, and near the coast it will be more from the souther or south-easter. |
| “Those winds will penetrate through and be dominating those firegrounds for many hours,” he says. | “Those winds will penetrate through and be dominating those firegrounds for many hours,” he says. |
| Here are the predicted fire movements for NSW today. It obviously stops at the Victorian border despite the fire clearly spreading across both states. I’ll see if Victorian authorities produce similar maps. | Here are the predicted fire movements for NSW today. It obviously stops at the Victorian border despite the fire clearly spreading across both states. I’ll see if Victorian authorities produce similar maps. |
| Hello and welcome to today’s coverage of the continuing bushfire crisis in Australia. | Hello and welcome to today’s coverage of the continuing bushfire crisis in Australia. |
| Firefighters and residents have had a few days reprieve this week, with cooler conditions and even a bit of rain – although that can also hamper containment work. | Firefighters and residents have had a few days reprieve this week, with cooler conditions and even a bit of rain – although that can also hamper containment work. |
| Unfortunately those conditions end today. | Unfortunately those conditions end today. |
| Temperatures in the south of New South Wales and in Victoria are predicted to reach the low to mid 40s, with a late cool change bringing winds with peak gusts of up to 90km/h and possible dry lightning. | Temperatures in the south of New South Wales and in Victoria are predicted to reach the low to mid 40s, with a late cool change bringing winds with peak gusts of up to 90km/h and possible dry lightning. |
| “These conditions will make fire behaviour erratic and dangerous,” the RFS said. | “These conditions will make fire behaviour erratic and dangerous,” the RFS said. |
| Authorities have warned people in areas under particular threat that they should leave. | Authorities have warned people in areas under particular threat that they should leave. |
| “If it is safe to get out, then you must get out. That is the only way to guarantee your safety,” Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews said on Thursday. | “If it is safe to get out, then you must get out. That is the only way to guarantee your safety,” Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews said on Thursday. |
| “I know that’s a very binary message. It’s blunt. It’s not meant to impress anyone. It’s meant to be the cold facts.” | “I know that’s a very binary message. It’s blunt. It’s not meant to impress anyone. It’s meant to be the cold facts.” |
| An emergency warning is in place in Western Australia, for a bushfire threatening lives and homes across a string of suburbs in Perth’s south. It has burned more than 300ha since it started about midday on Thursday. | An emergency warning is in place in Western Australia, for a bushfire threatening lives and homes across a string of suburbs in Perth’s south. It has burned more than 300ha since it started about midday on Thursday. |
| The emergency warning applies across an area spanning 20km north to Casuarina. | The emergency warning applies across an area spanning 20km north to Casuarina. |
| The ABC is reporting the Kangaroo Island town of Kingscote has been cut off, with residents stranded as South Australian firefighters battle a bushfire. It’s currently designated a watch and act, with roads closed and some residents reportedly sleeping at the water’s edge and on the town oval. | The ABC is reporting the Kangaroo Island town of Kingscote has been cut off, with residents stranded as South Australian firefighters battle a bushfire. It’s currently designated a watch and act, with roads closed and some residents reportedly sleeping at the water’s edge and on the town oval. |
| Two other emergency warnings remained in place early on Friday, one for the area around the Kangaroo Island south coast town of Vivonne Bay and one for the central districts around Parndana. | Two other emergency warnings remained in place early on Friday, one for the area around the Kangaroo Island south coast town of Vivonne Bay and one for the central districts around Parndana. |