Defence force and Navy called to Mallacoota amid bushfire crisis

More than a thousand firefighters are continuing to battle blazes in East Gippsland, as stranded residents in Mallacoota await the arrival of two Navy ships carrying supplies.

Ian Royall and Ellen Whinnett

2 min read

January 1, 2020 - 3:50PM

Bushfires in East Gippsland are continuing to burn as some residents sift through the ruins of their properties while others await rescue.

Almost 700,000 ha of land has been burnt in East Gippsland's devastating bushfires.

Forty-seven fires are still actively burning, with more than a thousand firefighters working day and night to contain the blazes.

A total of 325 fires started in the 24 hours prior to 2pm yesterday.

Extra firefighters were sent to Cann River overnight to support the community trapped by fire.

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Two Navy ships are due to arrive in Mallacoota this morning, bringing supplies and a medical team to the coastal town where thousands of residents and holidaymakers are stranded.

Apocalyptic images have emerged of the destruction wrought by bushfires devastating eastern and northeastern Victoria, as the first victim of the disaster was confirmed.

Great-grandfather Mick Roberts, 67 — known to Buchan locals as a larrikin “legend” of the town — was on Wednesday found by his nephew in the burnt-out home he refused to leave.

There are fears the death toll in Victoria could climb in coming days.

Emergency authorities on Wednesday night listed four people as missing, while seven were confirmed dead in New South Wales.

More than 45 fires are still burning in East Gippsland and in the state’s northeast around Corryong, testing more than 1000 firefighters on the front line.

Three of the East Gippsland blazes have combined to form one massive firefront 150km wide.

A huge relief operation has begun, with the sick and the frail among the first people flown out of Mallacoota on Wednesday by military helicopters.

That fire-ravaged tourist town and nearby Genoa, both in the far east near the NSW border, remained isolated on Wednesday night, although supplies had started to arrive by sea and air.

Communities at risk are bracing for a new heatwave.

Corryong is expected to reach 36C, 39C and 42C in the next three days.

HMAS Choules and MV Sycamore off the coast of Mallacoota at 8am Thursday.

A convoy of fire trucks at Corryong. Picture: Tony Gough

A convoy of vehicles exits Corryong to escape the fires. Picture: Tony Gough

A Mallacoota local in front of a destroyed house on Bastion Point Road. Picture: David Caird

Property damaged by the East Gippsland fires in Sarsfield, Victoria. Picture: Jason Edwards

Property damaged by the East Gippsland fires in Sarsfield, Victoria. PIcture: Jason Edwards

A young girl looks at the burnt body of dead kangaroo while walking her dog in Mallacoota. Picture: David Caird

A young girl walks past burning cable spools in Mallacoota. Picture: David Caird

Many fires remain out of control. Picture: Air Attack/ Victorian State Government

A fire is alarmingly close to a home. Picture: Air Attack/ Victorian State Government

View of fires from Bairnsdale rail bridge Picture: JoshThorpe/Facebook

The fire edges closer to a property. Picture: Air Attack/ Victorian State Government

The fire front lights the evening sky. Picture: Air Attack/ Victorian State Government

View of fires from Bairnsdale rail bridge Picture: JoshThorpe

Dry conditions have fuel the fire. Picture: Air Attack/ Victorian State Government

Four people remain missing

A waterbomb attempts to contain the fire.

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CHAOS IN CANN RIVER AS FIRE LOOMS

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE BUSHFIRES

HOMES LOST AS FIRE DEVASTATES CORRYONG

Premier Daniel Andrews visited Sarsfield on Wednesday and comforted shocked survivors, including Jilly and Mel Brown, who lost their historic home.

Mr Andrews said the fires had caused significant property and livestock losses.

More than 500,000ha have been burnt.

The blazes could last for weeks, officials have warned.

ian.royall@news.com.au

@IanRoyall

WATCH & ACT - Downgraded from Emergency Warning - Mallacoota Area.
More info: https://t.co/TmPnyZUcZL pic.twitter.com/aMY1d8Ut9s
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) January 1, 2020

Updates

The first evacuations have taken place from Mallacoota, with several elderly and sick people flown out of the town on a military Blackhawk helicopter.

The airlift late on Wednesday came as the Blackhawk began carrying firefighters into Mallacoota, which has been isolated by the fires.

Two Navy ships sent to help fire-ravaged East Gippsland will also get to Mallacoota early Thursday – 24 hours earlier than scheduled – as the military response to the fires ramps up.

HMAS Choules and MV Sycamore will deliver food, water, fuel and temporary shelters, and bring a medical team to Mallacoota.

The ships are also expected to bring diesel to run generators, as many communities remain without power. They can also be used to evacuate people stranded by the fires.

HMAS Choules can also be used as a floating base for a fleet of Australian Defence Force helicopters which are due to arrive into Sale any time.

MP for Gippsland Darren Chester said: “The first of the Blackhawks has been in action already, transporting fresh firefighters to Mallacoota and picking up a small group of sick and elderly patients".

“The ADF will play a critically important role in the weeks ahead supporting the response and recovery effort which is under way.’’

Mallacoota evacuations begin

Ursula Cunningham

The first evacuations have taken place from Mallacoota, with several elderly and sick people flown out of the town on a military Blackhawk helicopter.

The airlift late on Wednesday came as the Blackhawk began carrying firefighters into Mallacoota, which has been isolated by the fires.

Two Navy ships sent to help fire-ravaged East Gippsland will also get to Mallacoota early Thursday – 24 hours earlier than scheduled – as the military response to the fires ramps up.

HMAS Choules and MV Sycamore will deliver food, water, fuel and temporary shelters, and bring a medical team to Mallacoota.

The ships are also expected to bring diesel to run generators, as many communities remain without power. They can also be used to evacuate people stranded by the fires.

HMAS Choules can also be used as a floating base for a fleet of Australian Defence Force helicopters which are due to arrive into Sale any time.

“The ADF will play a critically important role in the weeks ahead supporting the response and recovery effort which is under way.’’

Smoke visible from space

Sarah Aquilina

Smoke from the East Gippsland bushfires can be seen in space via the Bureau of Meteorology's satellite.

An animal refuge centre has been set up in Bairnsdale for locals to bring their animals to.

With Saturday set to be another concerning day for bushfires in East Gippsland, locals are taking no chances in protecting their beloved animals this week.

Fernank woman Irene Harris had brought her horse Roo to the Bairnsdale horse yard.

"They are your best friend," she said.

"You look at them as friends. You think about losing them in the fires and it's upsetting.

"It is better to be safe than sorry. I am not prepared to risk it."

Clifton Creek woman Shannon Hutchings was also tending to her horses at the refuge centre.

Ms Hutchings was yet to return to her property, unsure if it had been savaged by Monday's bushfires.

Road blocks had prevented them from going back home.

"We don't know what state it is in, what we have or haven't lost," she said.

"We are hoping for the best. We've got the horses out, our four kids out.

"Feeling stressed, but it is the fear of the unknown.

"There are burning trees falling, they are flaming, hollowed out, it is dangerous."

Ms Hutchings was sleeping at the Bairnsdale relief centre with her partner Robert and four children.

Roadblocks had prevented them from going back home.

– Brianna Travers

Keeping animals safe

Sarah Aquilina

An animal refuge centre has been set up in Bairnsdale for locals to bring their animals to.

With Saturday set to be another concerning day for bushfires in East Gippsland, locals are taking no chances in protecting their beloved animals this week.

Fernank woman Irene Harris had brought her horse Roo to the Bairnsdale horse yard.

"They are your best friend," she said.

"You look at them as friends. You think about losing them in the fires and it's upsetting.

"It is better to be safe than sorry. I am not prepared to risk it."

Clifton Creek woman Shannon Hutchings was also tending to her horses at the refuge centre.

Ms Hutchings was yet to return to her property, unsure if it had been savaged by Monday's bushfires.

Road blocks had prevented them from going back home.

"We don't know what state it is in, what we have or haven't lost," she said.

"We are hoping for the best. We've got the horses out, our four kids out.

"Feeling stressed, but it is the fear of the unknown.

"There are burning trees falling, they are flaming, hollowed out, it is dangerous."

Ms Hutchings was sleeping at the Bairnsdale relief centre with her partner Robert and four children.

Roadblocks had prevented them from going back home.

– Brianna Travers

Luke McCrone took this video of his brother and father-in-law fighting a fire at a home on Terra Nova Drive in Mallacoota

Scenes from Mallacoota

Sarah Aquilina

Luke McCrone took this video of his brother and father-in-law fighting a fire at a home on Terra Nova Drive in Mallacoota

Les Anderson, 66, is fighting the battle of his life after starting radiation treatment for cancer this week.

He returned home from the gruelling treatment on Monday and had only 45 minutes to pack up a lifetime of memories from his Sarsfield home with wife Sandi.

Hours later, their home burnt to the ground.

"It is not a real good time for us," Mr Anderson told the Herald Sun.

"It is devastating at the moment, it is all happening at once but we will pull through."

The married couple's 23-acre property did not survive Monday night's inferno.

In what is a devastating blow, their next-door neighbour's house only metres away still stands.

"There were flames bloody everywhere," Mr Anderson said.

"You just had to get out. It was catastrophic."

Mr Anderson faces five days a week of radiation treatment for the next six weeks.

In what is a devastating blow, their next-door neighbours house only metres away still stands.

Although the damage was done, he grabbed a hose and put out small spot fires that were still burning.

"I don't know why, it made me feel a bit better," he said.

"It's all gone anyway, but I wanted to put the few bits and pieces out."

His wife Sandi said she was "very emotional" thinking about all the things she had lost.

"I don't think it's really struck me yet," she said.

"I didn't think it would ever happen, I was very blase about it on Sunday.

"Now you sit back and think of everything that you have lost, but at the end of the day there are so many people worse off.

"We are still here with each other."

They visited a donation centre set up at Lucknow, near Bairnsdale and were overwhelmed by the generosity offered by complete strangers.

They both broke down in tears as they were offered clothes, food and vouchers from the community.

"People are just marvellous," Mrs Anderson said as she fought back tears.

"The support you get from local communities is incredible, overwhelming."

The pair will temporarily stay at their son's home and are awaiting an assessment from their insurer.

– Brianna Travers

Sarah Aquilina

Les Anderson, 66, is fighting the battle of his life after starting radiation treatment for cancer this week.

He returned home from the gruelling treatment on Monday and had only 45 minutes to pack up a lifetime of memories from his Sarsfield home with wife Sandi.

Hours later, their home burnt to the ground.

"It is not a real good time for us," Mr Anderson told the Herald Sun.

"It is devastating at the moment, it is all happening at once but we will pull through."

The married couple's 23-acre property did not survive Monday night's inferno.

In what is a devastating blow, their next-door neighbour's house only metres away still stands.

"There were flames bloody everywhere," Mr Anderson said.

"You just had to get out. It was catastrophic."

Mr Anderson faces five days a week of radiation treatment for the next six weeks.

In what is a devastating blow, their next-door neighbours house only metres away still stands.

Although the damage was done, he grabbed a hose and put out small spot fires that were still burning.

"I don't know why, it made me feel a bit better," he said.

"It's all gone anyway, but I wanted to put the few bits and pieces out."

His wife Sandi said she was "very emotional" thinking about all the things she had lost.

"I don't think it's really struck me yet," she said.

"I didn't think it would ever happen, I was very blase about it on Sunday.

"Now you sit back and think of everything that you have lost, but at the end of the day there are so many people worse off.

"We are still here with each other."

They visited a donation centre set up at Lucknow, near Bairnsdale and were overwhelmed by the generosity offered by complete strangers.

They both broke down in tears as they were offered clothes, food and vouchers from the community.

"People are just marvellous," Mrs Anderson said as she fought back tears.

"The support you get from local communities is incredible, overwhelming."

The pair will temporarily stay at their son's home and are awaiting an assessment from their insurer.

– Brianna Travers

A loved great-grandfather and town “larrikin” has been identified as the first victim of East Gippsland’s bushfire tragedy.

Mick Roberts, 67, was found dead inside his fire-ravaged home in Buchan this morning.

His body was discovered by his nephew, Jason, who delivered the sad news to family.

Mr Roberts’ niece, Leah Parsons, told the Herald Sun her uncle had been painting his home with two mates before the bushfire hit.

“They ran into the river on the property but they couldn’t get him to go,” she said.

“He said he needed to go into the shed for a minute and they never saw him again.”

Mr Roberts was a cattleman who loved his family and farm, located on 450 acres of land on Sunny Point Rd.

READ THE FULL STORY: Locals mourn the tragic death of &amp;amp;#x27;town legend&amp;amp;#x27;

– Aneeka Simonis

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Defence force and Navy called to Mallacoota amid bushfire crisis

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