Residents, tourists urged to leave, 17 missing as dozens of fires burn in East Gippsland
Grave fears are held for 17 people missing in East Gippsland while huge blazes in Victoria and NSW threaten to create a monster inferno. Premier Daniel Andrews has declared a State of Disaster as authorities urge those in high-risk fire areas “to leave now”.
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Premier Daniel Andrews late on Thursday night declared a State of Disaster as Victoria’s bushfire crisis worsened.
The unprecedented move gives authorities the power to force evacuations and seize properties.
It comes as a second person was on Thursday night confirmed dead in the horror East Gippsland fires, with the death toll expected to rise substantially. There are grave fears for the 17 people who were on Thursday night listed as missing.
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Police said the second victim had “suffered a medical episode while fighting the fires”. Family found the man’s body on Wednesday night at a property at Maraningo Creek, near Genoa.
Friday 3 January 2020 has been declared by the CFA as a day of Total Fire Ban
— CFA Updates (@CFA_Updates) January 2, 2020
• Wimmera
• North East
• East Gippsland
• South West
No fires can be lit in the open air between 00:01 hours on 03/01/2020 and 23:59 hours on 03/01/2020 Visit https://t.co/qTT4P4ne58 pic.twitter.com/VaN28t58pO
Huge blazes in Victoria’s northeast and in southern NSW are threatening to merge within days as temperatures rise above 40C and northerly winds increase, creating a monster inferno.
The grim forecast comes as several thousand people prepare for a mass exodus from cut-off Mallacoota in Victoria’s east, in one of the biggest evacuations in the nation’s history.
About 1000 people will board HMAS Choules on Friday for a 16-hour voyage, most likely to Port Welshpool in South Gippsland.
The evacuees will have to be fit enough to negotiate ladders and stairs to get on board.
So far, evacuations have been voluntary, but from Friday the Chief Commissioner of Police can force evacuations from the disaster zone.
The State of Disaster applies to six local government areas and the Alpine resorts. A total of 50 fires were still burning out of control across Victoria on Thursday night.
Mr Andrews said using the powers was appropriate.
“These are big steps but they are exactly what’s needed,” Mr Andrews said at a press conference on Thursday night.
“With so much fire in the landscape, with such a large fire edge, with hot weather, windy weather and unprecedented dryness. So the level of humidity in the air will be at unprecedentedly low levels.
“The bureau in fact can’t recall a time when we’ve had such little humidity in the air this early on in the summer.”
Police Minister Lisa Neville said the orders were in place for seven days.
“They’re strong powers and they need to be strong to send a strong message to communities,” she said.
There are two Navy ships off Mallacoota ready for evacuations.
Families with babies and small children will be flown out by military helicopter.
Victorian authorities on Thursday pleaded with residents and tourists in high-risk areas “to leave now” as high temperatures and strong winds loomed.
Deputy Emergency Management Commissioner Deb Abbott said: “We have a small window of opportunity for people in those areas to leave now, and we want them to leave now”.
A total fire ban has been declared for the Wimmera, South West, North East and East Gippsland districts.
National parks and state forests in East Gippsland were shut to visitors, while the Alpine National Park, Howqua Historic Site, Mansfield State Forest and Jamieson State Forest were also closed.
Mr Andrews said the missing 17 were from smaller communities across East Gippsland.
“That number may grow or indeed people may report to authorities,’’ he said. “We do hold very significant fears for the welfare of anybody who is missing at this time.’’
As many as 24 communities were still isolated last night and the Princes Highway remained shut between Orbost and the NSW border.
An old road to Orbost was on Thursday reopened to evacuate Cann River with a convoy of a bus and 40 cars, one towing a boat, snaking out of the town about 3pm.
Those leaving were told there was fire along the route but it was safe to leave.
Three fires remained out of control near Cann River, with authorities warning that Friday’s weather could “result in significant fire movement”.
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The small town of some 200 residents remained without power on Thursday but satellite phones were dropped in for those who chose to stay.
The chance of showers on Sunday offers hope of some reprieve for more than 1000 firefighters from the onslaught of infernos now entering a seventh week.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who on Thursday attended the funeral for volunteer firefighter Geoff Keaton and visited the devastated town of Cobargo in NSW, urged people to remain patient and trust that help was coming.
“It is important, as we work through those evacuations, that people continue to remain patient and remain calm and to follow instructions,’’ Mr Morrison said.
RESIDENTS, VISITORS TOLD: YOU MUST GET OUT
Authorities have pleaded with people in Victoria’s high country and East Gippsland to “leave now” amid concerns of catastrophic fire conditions on Friday and Saturday.
Emergency services issued a warning to holiday-makers and residents that they should evacuate while they still could as bushfires and soaring temperatures bear down on the state’s east over the weekend.
The temperature is forecast to hit 28C at Bairnsdale and 39C at Corryong on Friday, and continue to rise on Saturday.
Lakes Entrance should reach 38C on Saturday and Albury-Wodonga 45C.
Three watch-and-act warnings were last night in place for the Alpine region in the northeast over concerns conditions could worsen due to strong winds and very dry forest fuel.
The Alpine National Park, Howqua Hills Historic Area, Mansfield State Forest and Jamieson State Forest were on Thursday closed to the public.
Mt Buller Mt Stirling Resort CEO Mark Bennetts said staff would be on hand to warn any visitors of the fire threat.
Mr Bennetts said although Mt Buller was expected to be unaffected by fire, there were concerns Mt Stirling could be in its path. “We’ll be putting up signage and doing a sweep of the area to let people know of the risks,” he said.
Many cycling tracks along Mt Stirling will be closed.
Further east at Mt Hotham, Resort, CEO John Hutchins said guests had heeded official warnings and most had left the mountain on Thursday morning.
He advised motorcycle riders and cyclists to stay off the Great Alpine Road due to the risk from falling trees.
Locals in the town of Bright, near Myrtleford, said a steady stream of caravans and cars were seen leaving the town on Thursday.
Arno Van Dinden from the Bright Information Centre said he would not advise anyone to come to the region over the next few days.
“It doesn’t take much for everything to change,” Mr Van Dinden said. “It would be absolutely nuts for anyone to come this weekend.”
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In East Gippsland, six watch-and-act warnings were in place.
The Princes Hwy was on Thursday reopened east of Orbost to the New South Wales border but authorities warned that it could be closed again.
Many popular coastal destinations are almost inaccessible by road, including Mallacoota which could be isolated for weeks.
At Metung, between Bairnsdale and Lakes Entrance, the CFA captain took the unusual step of urging his township to evacuate on Friday, despite there being no specific warning from the state control centre.
Destination Gippsland chief executive Terry Robinson said local communities and businesses in the region’s east would suffer greatly from the loss of income but tourists’ safety was paramount
Metung CFA captain Treveor Blundell has taken the extraordinary step of urging his township to evacuate on Friday despite there being no specific warning from the state control centre in place.
The town, situated between Bairnsdale and Lakes Entrance, is extremely vulnerable as it only has two exit points, which could easily be cut off by Friday night’s bushfires.
Mr Blundell said to “evacuate early” from the area.
“I don’t think we need to wait for an official warning for the CFA to protect the lives of our community,” he told the Herald Sun.
“I need to take the initiative as a captain to advise how safe it is.
“We are not safe in Metung.
“We have an opportunity to get out safely, we should do that now instead of having a massive bottleneck to get out of town.”
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Up to 4000 holiday-makers are said to be in the area during this peak summer period.
“Friday night’s temperature is a minimum of 32 degrees overnight, then add the heat and the embers,” he said.
“It is going to get very hot and it’s going to get very dangerous.
“The fire front on the north wind will be the whole south of East Gippsland.
“There is a north wind behind it so anyone south of it is not safe.
“We need to get out and go west of Bairnsdale.”
Mr Blundell said the size of the fire is “just phenomenal” and it was only going to get bigger.
“Be out of the area early, don’t be anywhere near here.”
MULTI—STATE BLAZE POSSIBLE
Fears are growing that two large fires burning in the northeast of the state and in southern New South Wales could merge and create one monster blaze.
The fire that is threatening communities in the Corryong region could link with another larger inferno to its northeast, which is burning south past Tumbarumba.
This Dunns Rd fire has already burnt 103,000 hectares of land and is still burning out of control, with spot fires jumping ahead of the main firefront.
Corryong incident controller Leith McKenzie said if the fires reached such an intensity they could “suck each other in” and merge.
RELIEF FOR MALLACOOTA
Rescuers from two Navy ships, HMAS Choules and MV Sycamore, have arrived in Mallacoota.
The ships are expected to deliver food, water, fuel and temporary shelters, and bring a medical team to residents stranded in the coastal town.
The ships are also expected to bring diesel to run generators, as many communities remain without power.
Up to 800 people are expected to leave the town via sea, with thick smoke making it unsafe to access the town by air.
FOLLOW LATEST MALLACOOTA NEWS HERE
MAN CHARGED OVER FIRE NEAR SARSFIELD
A 36-year-old homeless man has been denied bail after he allegedly started a small fire in bushland south of the hard-hit town of Sarsfield.
The man was arrested about 6.45pm on Wednesday in Johnsonville, 22km northeast of Lakes Entrance.
He has been charged with recklessly causing bushfire and drug-related offences. He fronted the Bairnsdale Magistrates’ Court on Thursday morning and his bail was denied.
He will reappear on April 1 for a commital mention.
A Watch and Act warning is active in Johnsonville and surrounds due to out-of-control fires north of Bairnsdale and in the Buchan Valley.
The alert was in place last night, when the fire was allegedly lit.
BUCHAN ‘OBLITERATED’
The township of Buchan which was ravaged by Monday’s bushfires is still isolated and without power.
Mike Cooper is one of the few residents who has access to a working mobile phone.
The town has been without power or phone reception since Monday.
“Everyone from Buchan is stranded at the moment,” he said. “It is mayhem. Buchan is obliterated.”
A Facebook page has been set up for locals to communicate to loved ones. For some, it is the only way of telling their loved ones they are alive.
It comes as the first casualty of the fires was confirmed on Wednesday, after Mick Roberts, 67, was found dead inside his fire-ravaged home.
FOLLOW LATEST BUCHAN NEWS HERE
HIGHWAY OPENS BETWEEN ORBOST, LAKES ENTRANCE
The Princes Highway between Orbost and Lakes Entrance was today open but locals feared the freeway may soon be closed again.
With the bushfire only kilometres away, the stretch of road had limited visibility.
Thick smoke engulfed the roadway and forest both sides of the road.
Orbost residents were lining up at the bank to withdraw cash and filling up cars with petrol ahead of the upcoming onslaught of weather conditions.
A relief centre had been set up at the footy ground.
FOLLOW LATEST ORBOST NEWS HERE
LOCALS FLEE CANN RIVER
An old road has been cleared and reopened for people are getting out by car.
“Not everybody wants to go, but anybody who wants to go we are steadily moving them out’’ Premier Daniel Andrews said.
A satellite phone is also being provided for those who stay.
Extra firefighters were sent to Cann River overnight to support the community trapped by fire.
FOLLOW LATEST CANN RIVER NEWS HERE
‘FORGOTTEN’ TOWN NEAR LAKES ENTRANCE
Sandra Huggins from the Nowa Nowa general store said her small township had been forgotten about.
“No one remembers Nowa Nowa,” she said.
“We are in trouble. We’ve had no power, no reception, no radio, no newspapers since Monday.
“We have struggled. We are not feeling in the loop. We are the forgotten part of East Gippsland.”
The Nowa Nowa general store was trading in cash and was even operating on an honesty system for customers who were caught short.
They had purchased a generator to keep the store going.
Ms Huggins said they were preparing for a “ring of fire” which may engulf Nowa Nowa on Saturday.
She and her family were tonight deciding if they would stay or go.
The nearby town of Wairewa, which shares a postcode with Nowa Nowa, is reported to have lost at least 10 homes.
MULTI—STATE BLAZE POSSIBLE
Fears are growing that two large fires burning in the northeast of the state and in southern New South Wales could merge and create one monster blaze.
The fire that is currently threatening communities in the Corryong region could link with another larger inferno to its northeast which is burning south past Tumbarumba.
FOLLOW LATEST CORRYONG NEWS HERE
TOWNS RALLY TO RESCUE WILDLIFE
Animal lovers are pitching in to help save wildlife and livestock injured in Victoria’s bushfire disaster.
And amid the heartache of the mass animal losses are stories of survival.
Farmers have loaded sheep on the backs of utes to drive them to safety while volunteers at the Bairnsdale relief centre have been busy nursing baby joeys.
In a charred paddock on the road out of Mallacoota, a large wooden spool was on fire and nearby trees glowed red close to the body of a dead kangaroo. A harrowing image captured the moment (above) a young girl wearing a breathing mask walked past the kangaroo’s body.
In the burned land around Mallacoota, scores of native animals have perished.
Jann Gilbert and pet dog Ollie were among those to get out before their Mallacoota home was destroyed.
Ms Gilbert left her home in Byron Bay a year ago to move to the small East Gippsland town.
She said the intensity of the fire was “astounding”.
“The ferocity of it has everything to do with climate change,” she said.
“I have lost everything. I just have the clothes on my back.”
Impact assessment teams have been in East Gippsland since Wednesday and are yet to calculate an estimate on the loss of wildlife and livestock.
Further north in Corryong there was a “significant number” of livestock lost in the fires, a State Control Centre spokeswoman said.
University of Sydney researchers suggest in NSW alone more than 480 million mammals, birds and reptiles have died in fires since September.
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