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| Australia bushfires live: NSW and Victoria survey damage as fires merge to form new 'megablaze' – latest updates | Australia bushfires live: NSW and Victoria survey damage as fires merge to form new 'megablaze' – latest updates |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Firefighters and property owner among those injured as megablaze burns on both sides of the Murray River in the Snowy Mountains and upper Murray region | Firefighters and property owner among those injured as megablaze burns on both sides of the Murray River in the Snowy Mountains and upper Murray region |
| The fire situation in Victoria is calmer today, after more than 50 new fires started yesterday and last night. | |
| There is still one emergency alert in place for the upper alpine villages around Mount Hotham — Hotham Heights, Dinner Plain, Flourbag and Davenport Village. That’s wedged in between the Abbeyard fire and other fires burning around Bundara. | |
| Watch and act alerts are in place for the southern, western, and northern flanks of the Abbeyard fire, in the King Valley, Ovens Valley, and surrounds. There are also two watch and act alerts for the Corryong/Dunns Road megafire on the Victorian side of the border. The NSW side of the border is currently at an advice level. | |
| All other fires in the state, including the grassfire that was elevated to emergency warning level on the outskirts of Wodonga last night, and all of the Gippsland fires, are at advice level. | |
| Here’s an aerial view of the Corryong fire, via ABC journo Erin Somerville. | |
| These before and after photos, taken by Ross Evans, are apocalyptic. | |
| The unchanged blue ocean makes things look even more jarring, because when we see these kind of images they’re often overlaid by a weird Hollywood filter. But no, these are real photos of one of Australia’s most important ecological reserves. | |
| The fire area on Kangaroo Island is 215,868ha, as of 4am today. That’s 49% of the island’s total landmass. | |
| About two-thirds of the island is currently under a watch and act alert, and there are specific warnings about the threat of falling trees in burned areas. | |
| What kind of action would satisfy the thousands of people who joined those climate protests, one reporter asked? | What kind of action would satisfy the thousands of people who joined those climate protests, one reporter asked? |
| Said Albanese: | Said Albanese: |
| He goes on: | He goes on: |
| Scott Morrison rejected criticism of his government’s climate change policies on Friday. You can read of what he said here. | Scott Morrison rejected criticism of his government’s climate change policies on Friday. You can read of what he said here. |
| After that, Albanese was pressed on whether he supported the climate protests that took place around the country, and indeed around the world, last night. | After that, Albanese was pressed on whether he supported the climate protests that took place around the country, and indeed around the world, last night. |
| Thousands of people marched in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and London to call for the Australian government to introduce a strong policy to mitigate the climate emergency. | Thousands of people marched in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and London to call for the Australian government to introduce a strong policy to mitigate the climate emergency. |
| Albanese says the protests were an expression of people’s frustration around the lack of action on climate change but that it was important that they did so without disrupting anyone else. This seems, to me, to be besides the point, but I’ll give you the full quote: | Albanese says the protests were an expression of people’s frustration around the lack of action on climate change but that it was important that they did so without disrupting anyone else. This seems, to me, to be besides the point, but I’ll give you the full quote: |
| ‘It is not really tenable to do anything else’ | ‘It is not really tenable to do anything else’ |
| Anthony Albanese spoke to reporters in Sydney a short time ago about his proposal to suspend the ordinary business of parliament on 4 February, the first sitting day of the year, for a motion of condolence for those killed in the summer bushfire crisis. | Anthony Albanese spoke to reporters in Sydney a short time ago about his proposal to suspend the ordinary business of parliament on 4 February, the first sitting day of the year, for a motion of condolence for those killed in the summer bushfire crisis. |
| At least 26 people have died since October. | At least 26 people have died since October. |
| He says the motion of condolence should also acknowledge those who have lost everything – that’s well over 1,000 families, going just by the number of homes destroyed – and thank firefighters for their “extraordinary bravery”. | |
| Albanese says he wrote to the prime minister to outline this proposal, and also assured him that Labor would facilitate the passage of any legislation required to facilitate reconstruction and recovery payments, so that can be done in the first week of parliament. | Albanese says he wrote to the prime minister to outline this proposal, and also assured him that Labor would facilitate the passage of any legislation required to facilitate reconstruction and recovery payments, so that can be done in the first week of parliament. |
| He says: | He says: |
| He continued: | He continued: |
| This is Calla Wahlquist, taking over from environment reporter Lisa Cox, who was keeping you informed this morning. | This is Calla Wahlquist, taking over from environment reporter Lisa Cox, who was keeping you informed this morning. |
| I’ll bring you the comments from opposition leader Anthony Albanese’s press conference shortly. | I’ll bring you the comments from opposition leader Anthony Albanese’s press conference shortly. |
| A quick note on megablazes | A quick note on megablazes |
| So, we now have two megablazes burning this fire season: the Gospers Mountain megablaze in the Blue Mountains and Wollemi national park, which is currently estimated to be 512,000ha in size; and the Dunns Road/Green Valley/Corryong fire, which joined overnight and is burning on both sides of the Murray River in the Snowy Mountains and upper Murray region. | So, we now have two megablazes burning this fire season: the Gospers Mountain megablaze in the Blue Mountains and Wollemi national park, which is currently estimated to be 512,000ha in size; and the Dunns Road/Green Valley/Corryong fire, which joined overnight and is burning on both sides of the Murray River in the Snowy Mountains and upper Murray region. |
| That fire is more than 700,000ha in size. It’s a bit harder to get accurate figures, because it’s being managed by different state agencies. | That fire is more than 700,000ha in size. It’s a bit harder to get accurate figures, because it’s being managed by different state agencies. |
| The Gippsland fires, which merged over the extreme fire weather around 30 and 31 December with fires burning on the south coast of NSW, and cover an area that is even bigger than the huge Snowys/Upper Murray fire, have not been referred to as a megablaze. | The Gippsland fires, which merged over the extreme fire weather around 30 and 31 December with fires burning on the south coast of NSW, and cover an area that is even bigger than the huge Snowys/Upper Murray fire, have not been referred to as a megablaze. |
| It’s worth noting that the term has primarily been used by the NSW Rural Fire Service, and the bulk of that Gippsland fire is in Victoria. | It’s worth noting that the term has primarily been used by the NSW Rural Fire Service, and the bulk of that Gippsland fire is in Victoria. |
| AAP has this report out of Queensland today. The premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, has urged Donald Trump to reconsider US travel warnings placed on Australia: | AAP has this report out of Queensland today. The premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, has urged Donald Trump to reconsider US travel warnings placed on Australia: |
| More from that press conference: Victoria’s emergency services say they are trying to clarify what types of structures were destroyed overnight. | More from that press conference: Victoria’s emergency services say they are trying to clarify what types of structures were destroyed overnight. |
| They believe one is a home and the other a shed but crews will be sent to the locations to confirm that. | They believe one is a home and the other a shed but crews will be sent to the locations to confirm that. |
| The state of emergency will also end at midnight tonight, Lisa Neville, says, with 10 days of milder conditions now forecast. | The state of emergency will also end at midnight tonight, Lisa Neville, says, with 10 days of milder conditions now forecast. |
| Crews will try to use that time to contain some of the fires that are still burning, but the state is not out of danger yet. | Crews will try to use that time to contain some of the fires that are still burning, but the state is not out of danger yet. |
| Last night thousands turned out in Sydney and Melbourne calling for more action on climate change and the sacking of Scott Morrison, with more than 10,000 gathering at Sydney’s Town Hall. | Last night thousands turned out in Sydney and Melbourne calling for more action on climate change and the sacking of Scott Morrison, with more than 10,000 gathering at Sydney’s Town Hall. |
| People around the world also turned out to protest climate change inaction and show support during Australia’s bushfire crisis. | People around the world also turned out to protest climate change inaction and show support during Australia’s bushfire crisis. |
| Victoria’s emergency management commissioner, Andrew Crisp, says there are no total fire bans in the state today but fire danger remains very high in the north and north-east. | Victoria’s emergency management commissioner, Andrew Crisp, says there are no total fire bans in the state today but fire danger remains very high in the north and north-east. |
| “It is a tale of two states at the moment, in terms of temperature and conditions. You get north of that divide and we have temperatures 30 plus, south of the divide is somewhat cooler and somewhat milder,” he says. | “It is a tale of two states at the moment, in terms of temperature and conditions. You get north of that divide and we have temperatures 30 plus, south of the divide is somewhat cooler and somewhat milder,” he says. |
| A fire near Mt Hotham remains at emergency warning level and there are 16 watch and act alerts from Mallacoota to Bairnsdale and up to the Corryong fire. | A fire near Mt Hotham remains at emergency warning level and there are 16 watch and act alerts from Mallacoota to Bairnsdale and up to the Corryong fire. |
| He says with the potential in some areas for more rain and even storms, trees could pose a danger. While opening up the Princes Highway and other roads will be a priority, the focus right now is on safety. | He says with the potential in some areas for more rain and even storms, trees could pose a danger. While opening up the Princes Highway and other roads will be a priority, the focus right now is on safety. |
| Crisp says another 140 firefighters and specialists will be brought into the state and will start arriving in about a week. | Crisp says another 140 firefighters and specialists will be brought into the state and will start arriving in about a week. |
| More from that press conference: | More from that press conference: |
| Victoria’s emergency services minister, Lisa Neville, says there have been mixed conditions in other parts of the state. | Victoria’s emergency services minister, Lisa Neville, says there have been mixed conditions in other parts of the state. |
| Rain has helped suppress fire conditions in East Gippsland today, which is “really good news” for some of those communities she says. | Rain has helped suppress fire conditions in East Gippsland today, which is “really good news” for some of those communities she says. |
| But she says “a lot of that rain was in that Bairnsdale area, and not all of it in the other fire areas”. She says Bairnsdale received 18mm of rain, while Mallacoota had only 2mm. | But she says “a lot of that rain was in that Bairnsdale area, and not all of it in the other fire areas”. She says Bairnsdale received 18mm of rain, while Mallacoota had only 2mm. |
| Neville also warns that thunderstorms could lead to flash flooding in parts of Victoria this week. Because of the scale of the bushfires, there is a risk of run-off. | Neville also warns that thunderstorms could lead to flash flooding in parts of Victoria this week. Because of the scale of the bushfires, there is a risk of run-off. |
| “It is also dangerous for our firefighters and emergency service workers and in the past we have seen deaths as a result of that, those sort of conditions,” she says. | “It is also dangerous for our firefighters and emergency service workers and in the past we have seen deaths as a result of that, those sort of conditions,” she says. |
| “So it is something we will be monitoring both for communities but particularly for our workers.” | “So it is something we will be monitoring both for communities but particularly for our workers.” |
| Victoria’s emergency services minister, Lisa Neville, has been speaking. | Victoria’s emergency services minister, Lisa Neville, has been speaking. |
| She says Friday night’s “fast moving, scary grassfire” in Wodonga was indicative of the kinds of emergencies communities are facing. | She says Friday night’s “fast moving, scary grassfire” in Wodonga was indicative of the kinds of emergencies communities are facing. |
| That fire was contained to the loss of “two structures”. | That fire was contained to the loss of “two structures”. |
| Neville says there was very little rain in the north-east of the state yesterday and any that did occur would not have hit the fire ground at all. | Neville says there was very little rain in the north-east of the state yesterday and any that did occur would not have hit the fire ground at all. |
| She warns that strong southerlies in that area today are “generating some fire activity as we speak now”. | She warns that strong southerlies in that area today are “generating some fire activity as we speak now”. |
| “So although we are milder than yesterday, certainly in the north-east we would be encouraging people to continue to heed the messages and look out for warnings because it is still active up there, you can see the smoke developing out of that fire activity,” she says. | “So although we are milder than yesterday, certainly in the north-east we would be encouraging people to continue to heed the messages and look out for warnings because it is still active up there, you can see the smoke developing out of that fire activity,” she says. |
| The Sydney Opera House and Live Nation have also announced a comedy gala to raise funds for bushfire recovery. | The Sydney Opera House and Live Nation have also announced a comedy gala to raise funds for bushfire recovery. |
| The event will be on March 16 on the Opera House Steps and forecourt and will feature artists and comedians including Arj Barker, Carl Barron, Urzila Carlson, Joel Creasey, Kitty Flanagan, Becky Lucas, Tim Minchin, Julia Morris, Harry Shearer and more to be announced. | The event will be on March 16 on the Opera House Steps and forecourt and will feature artists and comedians including Arj Barker, Carl Barron, Urzila Carlson, Joel Creasey, Kitty Flanagan, Becky Lucas, Tim Minchin, Julia Morris, Harry Shearer and more to be announced. |
| Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday 15 January at midday on the Sydney Opera House website. Proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery fund, the NSW Rural Fire Service, Wildlife Victoria and WIRES. | Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday 15 January at midday on the Sydney Opera House website. Proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery fund, the NSW Rural Fire Service, Wildlife Victoria and WIRES. |