Bushfire emergency: Donald Trump calls Scott Morrison with support; Elton John pledges $1m
Elton John has pledged $1m for the bushfire relief effort during his Sydney concert.
Firefighters in NSW and Victoria are enjoying a reprieve from dangerous bushfire conditions but authorities say containment remains a priority before the return of warmer weather later in the week. Scattered showers are forecast to fall on NSW fire grounds until Wednesday with 130 fires continuing to burn, 50 of them uncontained as more than 2600 firefighters work in the field on Tuesday. In Victoria, 14 active fires are burning and all warnings are at a watch-and-act level or lower, with most of the active fires in East Gippsland and the state’s northeast.
Lachlan Moffet Gray 11.08pm: Elton John donates $1m to bushfires
English singer-songwriter Elton John has announced that he will donate $1 million to a bushfire recovery fund.
Mr John made the announcement on Tuesday night at a concert at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, saying he found the bushfires “heartbreaking”.
Elton John has announced he’s pledging $1 Million towards bushfire relief measures in Australia #AustraliaisBurning #bushfires #worldnews pic.twitter.com/bRnjSPQ9nV
— Caitlyn Hurley (@caitlyn_hurley) January 7, 2020
“In the face of so many of the crowd here, there are people out there who have lost their lives trying to save homes...there are people who have lost their lives and their homes,” he said.
“And the plight of their animals... a loss of their habitat that frankly is on a biblical scale and heartbreaking.”
“Therefore tonight I will be pledging one million dollars to support the bushfire relief fund,” he said to massive applause from the crowd.
Mr John’s donation comes after numerous celebrities and rich listers pledged money bushfire relief efforts, including Chris Hemsworth, who earlier on Tuesday pledged one million dollars.
Lachlan Moffet Gray 10.53pm: Tuesday’s bushfire situation
Today evacuations continued in Mallacoota, two missing NSW men were found alive, the scope of damage continued to be accessed in NSW, SA and Victoria while deceased firefighter Andrew O’Dwyer was laid to rest in an emotional service in Sydney.
24 lives have been lost in the fire season to date, more than 2000 homes have been destroyed, insurance claims have risen to $700 million and almost six million hectares have been burnt across the country, about the size of the Republic of Ireland.
This morning firefighter Andrew O’Dwyer, 36, was laid to rest at the Our Lady of Victories Catholic Church in Horsley Park, Sydney - less than a kilometre away from the Horsley Park Rural Fire Service station that he faithfully served at for years.
Mr O’Dwyer was posthumously awarded the Commissioner’s commendation for extraordinary service and bravery by NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons, who pinned the medal to the chest of Mr O’Dwyer’s 19-month-old daughter, Charlotte.
“You need to know that your dad was a selfless man, he was a special man, and he only left us because he was a hero,” Mr Fitzsimmons said, speaking directly to Charlotte.
Elsewhere in NSW two missing men were found safe and alive.
NSW Police say the two men — a 70-year-old man from Lower Towamba and a Kiah resident - were found alive after being reported missing earlier in the morning and there are no longer any “current reports of missing people in bushfire-affected areas”.
Easing conditions have allowed workers to fix broken infrastructure up and down the NSW south coast resulting with less than 5000 households remaining without power as of Tuesday night, with the number to drop further over the coming days.
But deteriorating conditions in other parts of the state led to the RFS declaring a total fire ban in the Southern Slopes region tomorrow, citing forecasted hot and windy conditions.
In Victoria, another 200 people were evacuated from Mallacoota aboard the HMAS Choules, with plans for the 142 remaining people who want to evacuate to be airlifted out tomorrow.
Around 4000 people were isolated in the town last week with more than 1500 having being evacuated by air and sea but Doctors in Mallacoota have struggled to deal with the stranded population with the Mallacoota Medical Centre staying open 24 hours a day to act as a make-shift hospital.
There are currently 13 fires going in Victoria, down from almost 30 on Monday.
South Australian authorities provided an update on the fires on Kangaroo Island, stating that fifty-six homes have been lost so far, as fires still burn with over 160,000 hectares blackened.
South Australia’s Country Fire Service has conducted nearly 600 aerial drops in a bid to control the fire.
“This is still a large fire, which is not controlled,” chief officer Mark Jones told reporters on Tuesday.
“The fire has caused extensive damage to the Flinders Chase conservation park and devastated a number of small communities and properties.”
International sympathy for Australia continued to pour in with US President Donald Trump phoning Prime Minister Scott Morrison to offer his support to Australia during the bushfire crisis.
The Prime Minister thanked Mr Trump, saying Australia was grateful for the support of US firefighters battling the blazes alongside their Australian counterparts.
With AAP
Remy Varga 8.15pm: Hundreds rescued in Mallacoota
Hundreds of people stranded in the town of Mallacoota have been rescued as doctors say patients awaiting medical evacuations by air have been left crying in the streets.
Around 200 residents and holiday-makers were set to leave by sea on the HMAS Choules, which came to represent the horror and devastation of the latest bushfire season after 4000 residents and holiday-makers were stranded on a beach.
Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said on Tuesday the next batch of evacuees would be shipped to Cerberus on the Mornington Peninsula but weather conditions prevented the aerial rescue of the 142 people that remained.
“As you can see, [there are] really tough conditions to fly in at the moment,” he said.
“There’s two helicopters in there at the moment that will primarily be used for the rotation of emergency service workers but where there are those windows, they’ll be used to take back those remaining people.”
Light rains have cooled the heat ravaged state of Victoria but hampered rescue efforts after the drizzle combined with smoke to cast the state in a dark haze, reducing visibility and derailing the plans of rescue crews.
It is understood many of the people who chose to evacuate by air are unable to travel by boat due to mobility issues relating to age or disability.
Matthew Denholm 7.56pm: Bogus bushfire images on social media
They are images that stir emotions, opening hearts and sometimes purse strings: a girl in a lake, surrounded by bushfires, clinging to a koala, or a satellite image showing a continent ablaze. Only problem is, they are not real.
The proliferation of bogus or misleading images and claims about the current bushfire crisis doing the rounds on social media range from the silly to the sinister.
They are creating headaches for responsible news outlets, work for image-verifying services, anger from fire victims and concern from law-enforcement agencies.
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.25pm: NSW total fire ban declared
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service has declared a total fire ban in the Southern Slopes region tomorrow, citing hot and windy conditions in the region.
Caution is also advised for the Central Ranges and North Western regions of the state.
Tomorrow will see Very High fire danger in the Central Ranges, North Western & Southern Slopes. From midnight tonight a Total Fire Ban will be in place for Southern Slopes. Take time to prepare your property & talk to family about your bush fire survival plan. #nswrfs #nswfires pic.twitter.com/K0DSMMooiK
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) January 7, 2020
The Southern Slopes incorporates the towns of Cootamundra and Gundagai where maximum temperatures are predicted to hit 37C and 38C respectively.
Other areas of the state that have been ravaged by fires are experiencing a cool change with the Bureau of Meteorology stating that fire conditions may return to hazardous levels by the weekend.
Lachlan Moffet Gray 6.12pm: 5000 still without power on NSW south coast
Easing conditions have allowed workers to fix broken infrastructure up and down the NSW south coast resulting with less than 5000 households remaining without power as of Tuesday night, with the number to drop further over the coming days.
Bushfires wreaked havoc on electricity infrastructure last week, with over 50,000 people losing access to electricity and telecommunications around New Year’s Eve.
Endeavour Energy, which provide power to people from Wollongong to Batemans Bay confirmed on Tuesday that 3000 customers were still without power although by Wednesday evening almost all customers will have power restored.
“Subject to there no further damage being found, our plan is to have power back to all but 300 Endeavour Energy customers by late tomorrow,” the company said in a statement.
“In some places, it will not be possible to reconnect individual homes that have been destroyed or where their own electrical wiring needs to be either replaced or inspected before power can be safely restored.”
Essential Energy, which provide power to people from Batemans Bay to the Victorian border confirmed that approximately 2000 customers remain without power, while 13,000 customers who have been without power for almost a week in Batemans Bay were reconnected to the network on Monday night.
Spokeswoman Sarah Johnston said that it would be hard to put an exact timeframe on when all remaining customers will be reconnected.
“As we continue to reach areas of the network that have previously been inaccessible, and assess damage, we will provide estimated times to customers for when power will be restored,” she said.
“This is a slow process as damage to the network is extensive, and in many cases customers won’t have their power restored until into the weekend or longer.”
Essential Energy confirmed 1800 customers in Bermagui will have their power restored overnight.
Rachel Baxendale 6.00pm: Backburning is not a silver bullet: Andrews
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has defended a reduction in controlled burns conducted in the state, saying that the number of days each year when they can safely take place has decreased.
“The number of days in each year that we can safely put fire in the landscape and still call it a controlled burn, that is to say, avoid what happened in Lancefield a couple of years ago where it started off as a controlled burn and next thing we had to apologise to people having burnt their houses down, the number of days we can safely backburn is getting less and less each year,” Mr Andrews said.
“If you can do a lot more backburning, it’s not a silver bullet. It’s part of an integrated strategy about protecting life and property.”
In 2015 the Andrews government moved from hectare targets for planned burns to what the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning refers to as a “risk reduction target”.
A spokeswoman for the government was unable to provide details of the number of hectares of fuel reduction burns conducted in Victoria in recent years.
Analysis of regional prescribed burning plans by DWELP shows about 263,000Ha was to be burned in 2018-19, although the actual burn may be less.
This amounts to about 68 per cent of the 385,000Ha a year that was recommended by the Black Saturday royal commission.
The government has also refused to release fuel load maps, which were previously publicly available.
“We wouldn’t give them out because essentially that would be giving a map of where to start a fire to arsonists,” a government spokeswoman said.
Adrian McMurray 5.30pm: Two missing men located
NSW Police say the two men — a 70-year-old man from Lower Towamba and a Kiah resident — reported missing earlier today have been located. They add there are “no current reports of missing people in bushfire-affected areas”.
Rachel Baxendale 4:35pm: Road reopening ‘progressing well’
Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said work was being done to reopen roads and was progressing well on the Great Alpine Road, the Gelantipy Road, and the Princes Highway, with road access now possible for some previously isolated communities.
“There are three communities we haven’t been able to drive in to,” Mr Crisp said.
“When I say ‘drive’ even with those other communities it is basically bush tracks and emergency vehicles to get in, it is where there is no real road access.
“We’ve been able to get helicopters and sat phones in to make sure people have supplies.”
Mr Crisp said navy vessel HMAS Choules was again off the coast of Mallacoota preparing to evacuate more people, with about 200 of 342 people who are left in the town and wish to leave set to travel to Cerberus, on the Mornington Peninsula, on the ship.
The remainder will be evacuated by air.
Rachel Baxendale 4.33pm: Fire total reduced due to merged blazes
Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp says the number of fires in Victoria has only reduced because some have joined together.
There are currently 14 fires going in the state.
“That will seem like a reduction in the number of fires, going fires, in the state but that’s because so many of our fires have actually joined up,” Mr Crisp said.
There are currently 13 watch and act warnings issued for fires in Victoria’s northeast and Gippsland regions.
Mr Crisp said that while a small amount of rain in fire areas had suppressed the fires, it would make no difference to the danger they will pose in coming days.
“It is warming up at the moment and on Thursday and Friday we will have a spike day.
“We will start to see forecast northerly winds on Thursday night into Friday, hotter temperatures on Friday, mid-30s for this part of the state.”
Mr Crisp said now was the time for people to prepare for challenging conditions later in the week.
“You can still look at preparing your property. You can still ensure that you’ve got a plan,” he said.
Mr Crisp said 600,000 people had downloaded the Vic Emergency app to monitor fires since December 1, with a total of 2.3m downloads.
Rachel Baxendale 4.03pm: Andrews’ tribute to farmers
Firefighters in Victoria’s East Gippsland alone are dealing with almost 1500km of fire edge, Premier Daniel Andrews has said, as he paid tribute to farmers who have lost and euthanised stock.
Speaking in Bairnsdale after visiting the fire-ravaged town of Wairewa on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Andrews said there were now more than 1.2mHa which had been burnt in East Gippsland and northeast Victoria.
The Premier congratulated emergency services and all who have worked to support those in fire-affected areas.
“Those who are working with wildlife, those who are having to go through that incredibly painful process of having to put down stock, my heart, as someone who grew up in regional Victoria, I could only think how challenging it would be for my family to have to destroy stock,” said Mr Andrews, who grew up on a cattle property at Londrigan, northeast of Wangaratta in Victoria’s northeast.
“We’ve not had to do that. I can barely imagine how the grief, the toll that would take on you.
“My thoughts are with every farmer, and their families who are right now, going through that process. That’s heartbreaking.”
Adrian McMurray 3.32pm: 56 homes lost on Kangaroo Island
Authorities have provided an update on the fires on Kangaroo Island. Fifty-six homes have so far been lost, as fires still burn with over 160,000 hectares blackened. Extra aerial assistance could be provided ahead of dangerous conditions on Thursday, with 130 firefighters still on the ground.
Deborah Cornwall 3.11pm: NSW not ‘out of the woods yet’
The apocalyptic fires that have ravaged NSW may have reached their peak, though the brief respite of cooler conditions did not mean the state was “out of the woods yet”, according to NSW emergency services commissioner, David Elliott.
Mr Elliott said despite the country “facing a disaster of biblical proportions”, he was hopeful this week marked “the end of the beginning” for NSW.
“Friday will again be another dangerous day because of the heat but after a couple of days of moist and mild weather hopefully the firegrounds are going to be a little easier to manage,” Mr Elliott told reporters on Tuesday.
“We remain vigilant, we remain supporting 2000-odd firefighters in the fields … but I think what you will see at the end of this month is the commencement of the mopping up exercise.
“February is always hot, but with forecasts of some wet weather coming in March and April we shouldn’t see too much more expansion.”
Mr Elliott also sought to assure fire evacuees large numbers of police had been deployed across the state – especially on the fire ravaged south coast – to stop opportunistic looting.
It follows the arrest of three people for suspected looting at abandoned houses near Nowra on the south coast on Monday after their owners were forced to flee for their lives on the weekend as fires raged out of control.
“I share the Premier’s horror and the police’s horror at somebody wanting to go and loot the home of an individual or a family who have potentially lost everything,” Mr Elliott said.
“We are not living in south central LA, we are not living in Syria, we don’t do this to each other. This is the south coast of NSW. So for anybody regardless of their age or mental state to want to take advantage of their fellow citizens’ disadvantage they should expect the full force of the law.”
Gary Worboys, Deputy NSW Police Commissioner, said specialist police had also been sent across the fire affected areas, including the evacuation posts, to help protect the traumatised evacuees from anyone who might attempt to “take advantage of what is really a dreadful time for so many people”.
“Its disgusting behaviour,” Mr Worboys said.
“People’s homes are their castles and particularly in these times of devastation it really does go against the grain of Australian people.”
Adrian McMurray 2.05pm: Hemsworth tips in $1 million
Australian actor Chris Hemsworth has donated $1 million to the bushfire appeal.
“(The fires) continue to burn, there’s warmer weather on the way, we’re still in the thick of it here, plenty of challenging times ahead,” the Avengers star said.
“What we need is your support and donations. I’m going to put forward $1 million, and hope you can contribute in any way shape or form.”
Hi everyone. Like you, I want to support the fight against the bushfires here in Australia. My family and I are contributing a million dollars. Hopefully you guys can chip in too. Every penny counts so whatever you can muster up is greatly appreciated.https://t.co/KcBpMe7QvY pic.twitter.com/gYuA4LELZM
— Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth) January 7, 2020
Deborah Cornwall 1.54pm: Two men missing in NSW
NSW Police have confirmed another two men are missing following the savage fires that tore through NSW’s south coast on Sunday.
A police spokesman said one of the missing, a 70 year old man from Lower Towamba, south of Eden, had not been seen since the fires and police were now attempting to get to his property which has been inaccessible until now due to fallen trees and fires.
The second missing man is from the hamlet of Kiah, also south of Eden, but police say his house is currently cut off by fire debris and heavy earth moving equipment was now en route as police attempt to reach his house. There are no further details available at this stage.
To date 20 people have been killed in the out of control bushfires in NSW.
NSW Police Minister, David Elliott, told reporters on Tuesday such was the ferocity of the fires they had created “a disaster of biblical proportions”.
Ben Packham 1.36pm: Trump calls PM with message of support
US President Donald Trump has phoned Scott Morrison to offer his support to Australia during the bushfire crisis.
The Prime Minister thanked Mr Trump, saying Australia was grateful for the support of US firefighters battling the blazes alongside their Australian counterparts.
Mr Morrison also thanked the US President for the support of the American people who had been sending their well-wishes to Australians at this time.
Thanks for the call @realDonaldTrump and for your strong messages of sympathy, support and friendship for Australia during our terrible bushfire season. Thanks also to the American people for their many messages of support. Australia and the US are great mates. 🇺🇸 🇦🇺
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) January 7, 2020
The Prime Minister also spoke with Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama who offered his support and condolences to Australia.
Messages of support have been received from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manessah Sogavare, while Mr Morrison spoke yesterday to Vanuatu’s Acting Prime Minister Jotham Napat on Monday after the country committed almost $250,000 to the bushfire recovery.
Thanks @BorisJohnson and also for the personal message overnight. Appreciate all the support - the UK is a great friend of Australia. https://t.co/VxwzyWvBli
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) January 7, 2020
1.00pm: Smoke reaches Chile
The smoke from Australia’s bushfires has arrived in Chile after crossing more than 11,000 kilometres of Pacific Ocean.
A meteorological trough is suspected to be the conduit through which the haze has managed to travel so far.
[Satelite] Asà ha sido el traslado del humo desde #Australia a #Chile cubriendo el cielo desde #Coquimbo al sur. 🔥🌫 pic.twitter.com/U5P3Y1yua3
— Meteo La Serena (@MeteoLaSerena) January 6, 2020
Authorities say the smoke is especially visible in central Chile, where mist is covering the sky that under normal circumstances would be cloudless, and could stay around for up to a day.
“In the coming days probably it will head toward Argentina,” meteorologist Edita Amador, who works for Chile’s Weather Directorate, said on Monday. The presence of smoke should not cause any serious effects in the South American nation, since it rarely rains in that area.
The only consequence so far, Amador said, is a reduction in the ultraviolet radiation reaching the ground because of the “cap” that these kind of clouds form over the land.
AAP
Angelica Snowden 12.25pm: Friday warning for fire-affected areas
Very high to severe fire danger is forecast for bushfire battered areas in northern parts of Victoria and in south eastern NSW even with a small amount of rain overnight.
Meteorologist Diana Eadie said that “well above average” temperatures are forecast for bushfire affected areas.
“The peak day in terms of temperature for fire affected areas in eastern Victoria and southern NSW is Friday,” Ms Eadie said.
Ms Eadie said smoke haze will be an “ongoing issue” and will affect parts of the south coast on Friday, with a westerly wind blowing smoke from bushfires to the coast.
On Friday Mallacoota will reach 34C, parts of East Gippsland will reach 38C and 34C in Omeo near Mount Hotham.
In NSW parts of the south coast will reach the mid-30s with Bega expected to hit 34C and Bateman’s Bay to reach 33C on Friday.
On Friday the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting strong northerly winds ahead of a gusty south westerly behind it for northern parts of Victoria and inland parts of south eastern NSW.
Bushfire-affected areas in eastern Victoria and southern NSW got between 1-10 millimetres of rain, with light and steady rainfall into the night.
In NSW, about 12 millimetres of rain fell on Regatta Point to the north of Bega – the highest amount in NSW.
Tuesday will see some rainfall over bushfire affected areas and a chance of thunderstorms over alpine areas in NSW and in the far northern parts of Victoria.
If they arrive, the thunderstorms will deliver isolated rainfall offering little relief for hot conditions.
11.54am: Triple-0 spike for breathing problems
Paramedics in fire-ravaged Victoria are dealing with a spike in triple-0 calls from people suffering breathing problems.
Ambulance Victoria says hospitals are coping but the bushfire crisis has resulted in heavier workloads for emergency medical crews.
“Yesterday we saw a 51 per cent increase in the number of people reporting breathing problems, and we think that’s largely due to smoke,” Emergency Management acting director Justin Dunlop said on Tuesday.
AAP
11am: Flare-ups cause concern on Kangaroo Island
Windy conditions have caused issues across the Kangaroo Island fire ground with Country Fire Service crews dealing with a number of breakouts as they battle to fully contain the blaze. The CFS says a large fire continues to burn at Cape Borda, towards the lighthouse, in inaccessible terrain. On the north coast, there are a number of areas of concern around Snug Cove and Stokes Bay where firefighters have responded to multiple flare-ups. At Andamel, northwest of Vivonne Bay, there has also been renewed fire activity.
While in the Lathami Conservation Park, a controlled burn has been conducted producing smoke in the area. So far the island fire has burnt more than 155,000 hectares inside a 300-kilometre perimeter with many homes and other buildings feared lost. Most roads within the fire zone remain closed as work begins to replace key infrastructure.
The defence force will deliver an emergency water purification system after a treatment plant was damaged by fire. SA Power Networks crews are on the island assessing the damage to electricity lines and other equipment, with many kilometres thought to be brought down. The fire also claimed two lives with outback pilot Dick Lang, 78, and his 43-year-old son Clayton Lang killed when their car became trapped by flames near Parndana. — AAP
10am: Warne's baggy green tops $300k
Bidding on Shane Warne’s prized baggy green has hit $315,000 on Tuesday morning. Cricket fans have a chance to bid on Warne’s Test cap until Friday night, with all proceeds to be donated to the Australian Red Cross to help those affected by fires around the country.
The item would rank among the most valuable mementos from the decorated career of Australia’s all-time leading wicket-taker. Sir Donald Bradman’s baggy green sold for approximately $420,000 in 2003. Bidding for Warne’s cap, which will come with an autographed certificate of authenticity, hit $200,000 a tick over an hour after opening. Warne, who joins Ash Barty, Daniel Ricciardo and many others on a long list of high-profile members of Australia’s sporting community to announce fundraising measures, suggested it was the least he could do.
Comedian Celeste Barber’s global fundraiser has grossed more than $40 million to help Australian firefighters, and the appeal continues to surge. The online fund — running since Friday — is approaching $41 million and showing no signs of slowing. Barber, who won fans with her celebrity parodies on Instagram, has attracted more than one million donations from around the world.
Remy Varga 9.15am: NASA releases new image
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration has released satellite imagery of dense bushfire smoke stretching from the NSW coastal city of Wollongong to the city of Bairnsdale in Victoria’s East Gippsland region. NASA said some of the white patches that appeared on the tan colour of the smoke were likely “pyrocumulonimbus clouds”, which were formed by convection and the rising heat from the fires. The images were captured on Saturday January 4.
Our @NASAEarth Aqua satellite took this natural-color image of southeastern Australia on Jan. 4 showing smoke from wildfires. Some white patches above the smoke are likely to be pyrocumulonimbus clouds created by convection and heat rising from a fire: https://t.co/vRl5k66wX2 pic.twitter.com/9YaoXRoxX0
— NASA (@NASA) January 6, 2020
8.45am: Lib MP slams Piers Morgan
Federal Liberal MP Craig Kelly has been savaged on UK television for denying any links between climate change and Australia’s bushfire crisis. The backbencher and NSW MP defended the federal government’s handling of the crisis on Good Morning Britain and repeated the disputed claim that high fuel loads were mainly to blame for the current scale of the fires.
“You have to look at the science and what our scientists are telling us,” Mr Kelly said. He also said the drought was a factor and there was no evidence to suggest a long-term trend towards a warming climate.
Weather presenter Laura Tobin called Mr Kelly a “climate denier” with host Piers Morgan telling the MP to “wake up”. “You are facing now one of the greatest crises you have ever faced, and there is you … who still doesn’t think this has anything to do with a heating up planet,” Morgan said.
“Climate change and global warming are real and Australia right now is showing the entire world just how devastating it is.”
Craig Kelly MP defends Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s response to the wildfire crisis and says there isn’t a link between climate change and bushfires.@piersmorgan | @susannareid100 | #GMB pic.twitter.com/Mz0dxJSK5T
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) January 6, 2020
Mr Kelly also defended Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s holiday in Hawaii while the fires were underway. “The ultimate responsibility for fighting fires is the state premiers and the state emergency services,” Mr Kelly said. “The only thing the national leader can actually do on this is basically wait until he gets response from those state premiers asking for more resources.”
Mr Kelly took to Facebook after the interview to say the hosts didn’t want to hear the facts.
“Piers Morgan, the pommy bloke famous for boasting he could bat against Brett Lee, only to cowardly retreat to square leg when Lee bowled to him, simply was ignorant of the facts and didn’t want to know about them,’’ Mr Kelly wrote.
“He clearly had no idea that Australia is a federation with the States having responsibility for emergency management. He had no idea about Australia’s long history of bushfires.
“He had no idea about the debate on hazard reduction burns, or the issue of fuel build up in our forests. He had no idea of Australia’s heavy expenditure on renewables over recent years (we’ve spent more per capita than anywhere in the world)
“He had no idea about the peer-reviewed science of Australia’s history rainfall or evaporation
“He didn’t even know that even the IPCC doesn’t claim that droughts are caused by ‘climate change’. He had no idea that our senior bushfire scientists have said these fires are not caused by climate change.
“So it’s good to see so many viewers in the UK call him out for his unprofessional conduct of consistently cutting me off.’’
Morgan hit back at Kelly’s post. “Here are some facts, Mr Kelly: 1) Australia’s just had its hottest year on record. 2) Most scientists say climate change is driving the heat higher. 3) Australia’s currently suffering one of its worst ever national bushfire seasons. 4) Do the maths.’’
Here are some facts, Mr Kelly:
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 6, 2020
1) Australia's just had its hottest year on record.
2) Most scientists say climate change is driving the heat higher.
3) Australia's currently suffering one of its worst ever national bushfire seasons.
4) Do the maths. https://t.co/JKfFlMHsVv
Mr Kelly also hit out at the show’s meteorologist. “Oh no! Ignorant Pommy weather girl calls me a ‘climate change denier’,” Mr Kelly posted on Facebook. “I might have to send her some of the published peer-reviewed scientific papers on Australia’s weather, data from Australian Bureau of Meteorology and the IPCC reports so she can educate herself and learn the facts — Australia’s rainfall is highly variable and there has been no drying trend in the last hundred years. And it’s an inconvenient fact for alarmists, that Australia-wide we’ve had more rain in the first 20 years of this century (2000-2019) than the first 20 years of last century (1900-1919). She also might want to educate herself, that it is a fact, that over the last two years Australia has spent more per capita on renewables than anywhere else in the world — and just by a little bit, around 3 times than the next highest nation Germany.’’
Tobin returned fire posting on Twitter: “Yes I’m a Meteorologist. A degree in Physics & Meteorology. 4 yrs as an aviation forecaster at the RAF. 12 yrs as a broadcast meteorologist. Attended a @WMO Climate course last year & up to date with all the science.’’
Yes I’m a Meteorologist
— Laura Tobin (@Lauratobin1) January 6, 2020
-A degree in Physics & Meteorology
-4 yrs as an aviation forecaster at the RAF
-12 yrs as a broadcast meteorologist
-Attended a @WMO Climate course last year & upto date with all the science #NotAWeatherGirl #IKnowWhatImTalkingAbout#DoYou?#ClimateChange https://t.co/fvwTpzftTI
8.25am: Treasurer on recovery
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says more than $25 million worth of relief payments have already been made. “We are doing everything possible to ensure that there is as little red tape involved as possible,” he told Nine on Tuesday. Mr Frydenberg said the scale of the fires was “unprecedented” and there would be lessons to be learned in the aftermath.
The treasurer could not yet put a dollar figure on the cost of the disaster. “There’s going to be a very significant economic impact, but it is too early to tell what that full impact will be,” he told ABC. Mr Morrison has already flagged the potential for a royal commission into the bushfires. — AAP
Angelica Snowden 8.15am: Rain to continue
Scattered showers should continue to fall on NSW fire grounds until midweek as attention turns to getting towns up and running. More than 13mm fell in at Merimbula on Monday, 9.8mm at Bega and 2mm at Nowra and Lake Conjola.
“It’s not widespread amazing falls, but there is some falling from the sky,” duty forecaster Gabrielle Woodhouse said. “We are looking at a few more showers and possible thunderstorms tomorrow and into Wednesday.”
Despite the milder conditions, 130 fires continue to burn across NSW, with up to 50 uncontained and more than 2600 firefighters working in the field on Tuesday.
In Victoria, the rain that is giving bushfire-hit areas in the east some much-needed relief will continue throughout Tuesday.
Monday saw all emergency warnings being downgraded, while 14 active fires continued burning statewide. While conditions eased in the fire areas, the forecast is set to spike on Thursday-Friday, when temperatures will rise up to the high 30s.
“There’s been a little bit of rain, but it’s not making an impact on the fire. We know it won’t, it will take a significant amount of rain over a significant amount of time to occur,” Emergency Services Commissioner Andrew Crisp said on Monday. — With AAP
Angelica Snowden 8am: Conditions to worsen
NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons warned that fires burning along the border of Victoria and NSW could merge into a “mega blaze” as the weather heats up towards the end of the week.
The Corryong fire in Victoria could merge with fires burning near Kosciuszko National Park as temperatures are set to surpass 40C in NSW and reach the high 30s in Victoria by Friday.
Mr Fitzsimmons said that a firefront stretching from Jingellic, 100 kilometres east of Albury, is “hugging” the border of NSW and Victoria and is 60 kilometres in length. The Commissioner said the RFS had expected this fire to merge with that in Corryong already.
With weather conditions heating up and gusty winds expected the RFS is prepared for the blazes to merge at the end of the week.
The Commissioner said firefighters are taking advantage of milder weather today and Wednesday to assess the damage bushfires caused in areas around the south coast as 600 homes have been confirmed lost since last week. “It is devastating and tragic,” Mr Fitzsimmons said.
The Eurobodalla suffered the most property loss, but Mr Fitzsimmons said authorities have not finished assessing damage in the Bega Valley Shire where they also expect significant property loss.
The Commissioner said the RFS would determine their fire strategy for the end of the week, decide how to deploy ADF personnel and strengthen containment lines today where some rain offered a brief reprieve.
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