‘Bastard act’: Manhunt over fire which claimed 30 homes
The police arson squad is investigating “suspicious activity” regarding the source of the blaze which has razed the town of Rappville with a NSW minister describing it as a “bastard act”.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Prepare to leave: Two bushfires threaten homes
- Facing off with nature: Family’s close call with bushfire
POLICE are hunting for the person who may have deliberately lit the inferno that has destroyed 30 homes and razed more than 90,000 hectares in NSW’s north with the emergency services minister describing the potential arson as a truly “bastard act”.
The out-of-control blaze, which has torn through the town of Rappville, currently has a firefront of more than 20 kilometres.
Local police, the state crime command arson squad and rural police are all investigating the source of the blaze as wild and windy weather conditions continued to spur on 51 fires across the state.
“We are treating it as suspicious,” Superintendent Toby Lindsay said.
“(The punishment) for this crime is significant. The warning to the community is whether it is intentionally lit or unintentionally, do not light a fire in these conditions.
“They’re too dangerous.”
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Emergency Services Minister David Elliott said anyone who would put lives at risk would face the full force of the law.
“It really is a bastard act if you are going to put your own community at risk,” he told reporters.
There are still a number of people missing or reported missing but police have confirmed that there are no known fatalities.
The fire is burning in the area of Rappville, Wyan, The Island, Myrtle Creek, Wineshanty and the Mount Belmore State Forest.
The Busbys Flat fire merged today with a separate blaze in Drake to create a 64km wide fire area.
RFS Superintendent Michael Brett said early investigations show the fire was started on Friday evening at about midnight in the Busby’s Flat area.
“The cause of the fire is still being determined but we have identified some suspicious activity going on in that area,” he said.
“It is an ongoing investigation but it was potentially deliberately lit.”
More than 300 firefighters are currently on the ground with more from Queensland and Victoria expected to arrive within days.
Ms Berejiklian warned the full force of the law would be applied to anyone who deliberately started a bushfire.
“I’m simply horrified and shocked that anyone would think it’s smart to deliberately light these fires. I hope that’s not the case,” she said.
“The full force of the law will be thrown at anybody who has done anything illegal in relation to these fires.”
The massive fire has destroyed up to 30 homes in the northern NSW area and has razed a community hall and local sawmill in Rappville.
Richmond Valley Mayor Robert Mustow told The Daily Telegraph at least eight houses had been destroyed in his electorate.
“There is no doubt this is a challenging time for the whole community, and not just for those affected by the fire. There are a lot of family and friends involved in this,” he said.
“I’ve been talking to people who only escaped with their hands on their back. One man named John could barely get off the bus because his walking stick burnt down.”
He also holds concerns for the future of Rappville which had been devastated by drought before the bushfire.
“The mill is burnt, it is gone. So a lot of people in Casino will be impacted.”
Conditions on the ground are “fairly horrendous,” Jim Simmons, Mayor of Clarence Valley Council said.
At least 20 residents in the town had been forced to flee, with some staying in now booked out hotels and others with family and friends.
83-year-old John Duncan is one resident who lost it all in the blaze, with his daughter launching a crowd-funding page to restore hope.
Some of the funds raised, now at more than $12,000, will flow to the Rural Fire Service and local community, John’s daughter Carol told the Telegraph.
WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR
● Police are now treating the Busbys Flat fire as suspicious
● 51 fires burning across NSW, 13 are uncontained
● Two Watch and Act fires burning at Busbys Flat and Drake have merged
● Up to 30 homes have been destroyed near Busbys Flat
● There are concerns the Busbys Flat and Drake fires will merge
● 500 firefighters, 200 vehicles are on the ground
● Winds eased and temperatures cooled overnight
Parts of the town of just 250 are still burning and powerlines have been brought down.
Mr Mustow says he has been humbled by the incredible amount of support flowing in for the community — both in terms of donations and volunteers.
“The response is unbelievable. We’ve had charity organisations here working all night last night.”
The scale of devastation will take months to repair, Mustow says, but the courage of the community will go a long way.
“It’ll take a good long time but we’re a resilient community and residents have already gathered around and there’s plenty of support not only from council but the community.”
Thirteen of the 51 fires are currently listed as uncontained.
While conditions have eased overnight, downgrading both fires to Watch and Act, the threat is still active and residents are being asked to remain vigilant.
The Busbys Flat Rd fire in Busbys Flat, Richmond Valley & Long Gully Rd fire in Drake, Tenterfield have merged. This fire area spans a width of 64km. These remain at Watch & Act. Continue to monitor & know what you’ll do if the fire threatens. #nswrfs #nswfires pic.twitter.com/oFxZtBIWzH
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) October 9, 2019
The RFS confirmed that up to 30 homes were lost in Rappville as 80km/h easterly winds, daytime temperatures of up to 40C and low humidity stoked the previously contained Busbys Flat fire.
Witnesses say smoke from the fires turned the sky pitch black by 3pm on Tuesday, as emergency services warned residents to take shelter as it was “too late to leave.”
The strong winds caused havoc for firefighters by blowing embers and creating spot fires that threatened properties before the main firefront even arrived.
Before merging, the fire in Drake blazed across 72,000 hectares.
While fires have eased overnight, the blaze continues to burn in and around properties.
Almost 1000 firefighters have battled the flames around Rappville, which had burnt through more than 13,000ha.
MORE NEWS
The Masked Stinger: Secret code you won’t bee-lieve
Buzz: The 50 biggest moments of the NRL season
I cringed in horror watching ‘degrading’ Love Island
Among the homes lost was Amanda Crabtree’s at Busby Flat.
“That is our house, don’t look, don’t look,” a distraught Ms Crabtree told her husband as the flames engulfed the building.
“That is my recently built house burning down at the moment. Two years we have been in there.”
Many of those living near people living near Rappville had self-evacuated yesterday.
Nine cameraman Matt Coble found himself in the centre of the destruction with his footage showing the sky change colour as the fire roared past him.
“I’m stuck in the middle of it here,” he said in terrifying vision aired on Nine News last night.
“I’ve found some ground that’s a road hopefully no one comes through.
“It’s gone black again. It’s three (o’clock) in the afternoon and it’s pitch black.”
Residents were last night being warned not to return to fire-affected areas, as an evacuation centre was set up at St Mary’s Catholic College in Casino.
“We have had reports homes have been lost but it is not safe to get our teams onto those fire grounds,” NSW Rural Fire Service spokesman Greg Allan said.
“These fires have been burning a number of weeks and were looking OK but the very strong winds, high temperatures and low humidity have kickstarted these fires.”
Mr Allan said some relief was on the way with showers forecast for the state’s north on Wednesday.
“The fire risk is lessening because we have had forecast possible rain including possible thunderstorm activity,” he said.
“But with thunderstorms, we get rain and we get lightning which could cause more fires.”
A tearful Rappville resident Danny Smith last night told reporters: “I’ve lost the bloody sheds, the house, lost everything.
“We might have saved the second place but everything else has gone.”
Originally published as ‘Bastard act’: Manhunt over fire which claimed 30 homes