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Bushfire emergency: Ten dead in NSW, Victoria, as evacuations continue at Mallacoota, South Coast

Ten people are dead in two states, and 28 are missing in Victoria as the NSW Premier and fire chief issue a warning ahead of worsening conditions on Saturday.

Angelica Snowden, Rachel Baxendale, Stephen Lunn and Debbie Schipp
45 min read
5:11PMJanuary 03, 2020.
Updated 9:27AMJanuary 04, 2020
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The Navy’s rescue operation in Mallacoota has moved as many as 1100 civillians to Western Port in MV Sycamore. Picture: Twitter
The Navy’s rescue operation in Mallacoota has moved as many as 1100 civillians to Western Port in MV Sycamore. Picture: Twitter

Welcome to The Australian’s live coverage of the bushfire emergencies in Victoria and NSW.

Ten people are dead in two states. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says two are dead and 28 people are unaccounted for in Victoria’s bushfires. He has declared a state of disaster as evacuation of Mallacoota begin. In NSW, where a state of emergency is also in place, the death toll has risen to eight as the coastal exodus continues.

Lachlan Moffet Gray 11.20pm: Kangaroo Island Southern Lodge staff safe

Southern Ocean Lodge has released a statement declaring the six staff who were rumoured to be trapped inside a bunker at the Kangaroo Island hotel while fires engulfed the property are now safe.

According to the statement, staff and guests were evacuated earlier on Friday ahead of threats that the nearby Ravine fire would soon overcome the property. After guests left, six staff remained to activate a fire emergency plan before successfully escaping, it reads.

“Whilst the lodge has sustained structural damage, all guests and staff have been safely evacuated and no injuries have been sustained,” the statement says.

Baillie Lodges, the hotel’s parent company, says that Southern Ocean Lodge has closed and it is not known when it will reopen.

Eight active fires have forced the South Australian Country Fire Service to place the entire island under bushfire warning.

The nearby towns of Vivonne Bay and Parndana have been evacuated with the CFA encouraging residents to head east.

Homes are expected to be lost over the weekend as high winds will cause conditions to deteriorate.

Lachlan Moffet Gray 10.54pm: How the ADF plan to support the bushfires

Two Joint Task Forces, hundreds strong, have been established by the ADF to support state emergency services in NSW and Victoria.

Joint efforts from HMAS Choules and MV Sycamore sought to rescue over 1000 people left stranded from bushfire-ravaged Mallacoota on Friday and efforts are from over. Over the weekend the ADF has several plans under Operation Bushfire Assist 2019-2020 to assist people in areas forecast to be hit by catastrophic fires.

In NSW, 250 personnel have been assigned to assist in evacuation campaigns once damage from this weekend’s fires becomes apparent.

Firefighters will be able to refuel their planes at RAAF Base Richmond while helicopters will be dispatched to map fires.

The ADF will also deploy catering capabilities to provide three meals a day for the 250 New South Wales Rural Fire Service volunteers at a staging ground in the Northern Rivers region.

In Victoria, where the state’s east and centre are being threatened by fires that have claimed two lives, 370 personnel have been assigned to help with evacuations.

In addition to water-bound evacuations in Mallacoota, helicopters have airlifted 25 children and elderly people out of the seaside town. More sea and air operations are planned over the next week as road closures prevent residents from fleeing by car.

Two CH-47 Chinook military aircraft will be deployed on Saturday from Townsville to assist with evacuations and firefighting operations, joining three already based out of Sale. Three Spartan aircraft will also be dispatched to assist in remote communities.

Operation Bushfire Assist will also see engineering capabilities deployed to clear debris and fallen trees and scrub from roads so that vehicles can safely drive out.

Accommodation and logistics support for firefighters in both states will also be provided.

Lachlan Moffet Gray 10.04pm: Kangaroo Island facing immediate danger

The entirety of Kangaroo Island has been placed under bushfire warning as roaring winds and soaring temperatures threaten to enlarge eight active fires.

The island’s central, south and west regions have been placed under emergency warning while the central north and east have been placed under “watch and act” restrictions.

People in the south and west of the island have been advised to move east as soon as possible as Saturday’s high winds may breathe oxygen into the “virtually unstoppable” Ravine fire in Flinders Chase National Park.

The CFS told The Australian that they are hoping Saturday’s high winds will bring about a cool change, and a chance for rain is forecast over the weekend.

The towns of Vivonne Bay and Parndana are being evacuated and reports have emerged that staff of the Southern Ocean Lodge in the island’s west are trapped amid the flames, sheltering in a bunker.

The SA Country Fire Service have 150 firefighters set across the island, with more planned to deploy tomorrow.

The CFS expects homes will be lost.

The island is 4405 square kilometres in size.

Lachlan Moffet Gray 9.40pm: More emergency warnings in Victoria

Another emergency warning has been issued in Victoria, with Vic Emergency informing residents in the areas of Omeo, Anglers Rest, Dinner Plain and Cobungra that a fire is heading rapidly towards them and “it is too late to leave”.

Vic Emergency has warned that a fire to the northwest of Anglers Rest will hit the town of Omeo at about midnight Friday and that the safest action residents can do is take shelter indoors.

The town of Omeo has a population of just over 400 people.

Lachlan Moffet Gray 9.03pm: Another life claimed

The fire season has claimed yet another life with NSW police confirming a 59-year-old man has died from injuries sustained in a fire in November.

The fires have now killed 20 people since August, 11 in the last week alone.

Police say the man was severely burned while taking shelter in a water tank at his property in Yarrowitch near Walcha in NSW on November 7.

He was found later that day by a National Parks and Wildlife Service employee and airlifted to a hospital in Port Macquarie.

He was later transferred to the Royal North Shore hospital in Sydney where he passed away on Sunday, 29 December 2019.

Police will prepare a report for the Coroner.

Lachlan Moffet Gray 8.42pm: Boggy Creek and Mount Taylor told to evacuate now

Vic Emergency has issued evacuate now orders for people in the area of Boggy Creek, Bullumwaal and Mount Taylor.

The Victorian state service says that a bushfire north of Mount Taylor is not under control and fire activity is increasing to the north of Bullumwaal.

People in these areas are being told to evacuate as emergency services will not be able to help anyone who stays.

Relief centres are open nearby at the Bairnsdale Football Pavilion, 40 MacArthur St, Bairnsdale and the Sale Baptist Church on the corner of the Princes Highway and Cobains Road, Sale.

Residents in Bullumwaal and Boggy Creek should leave via Bullumwaal Road towards Bairnsdale.

Lachlan Moffet Gray 8.29pm: Ravine fire traps staff on Kangaroo Island

Staff are reportedly trapped inside a luxury lodge on the western end of Kangaroo Island in South Australia as the Ravine fire tears through the ground.

Guests at the Southern Ocean Lodge were evacuated on Friday afternoon but some staff are believed to remain behind, seeking shelter in an emergency bunker.

SA Country Fire Service was unable to confirm Channel 7’s reports that people were in the luxury lodge, although a spokeswoman said that they are aware of people in the area who have ignored their advice to evacuate.

“We told people on the west of the island to evacuate to the east and we know that some people did not heed the warnings,” she said.

“We are not aware of who they are or where they are at.”

The lodge is threatened by the Ravine fire which has had its exclusion zone extended south to Vivonne Bay as it has burnt through control lines.

The CFS expects that wind changes will push the fire in an easterly direction, affecting the communities of Vivonne Bay, Gosse, Kurralinga, Karraboom and Karatta.

People in the areas are being told to move to Kingscote or Penneshaw.

Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.41pm: Buchan residents advised to evacuate

Vic Emergency has advised that anyone in the Buchan South area evacuate immediately to a safer location ahead of a forecasted hazardous weekend.

The state body advises anyone in the area to evacuate before 1am to a centre at Bairnsdale Football pavilion on 40 Macarthur Street, Bairnsdale or at the Sale Baptist Church on the corner of the Princes Highway and Cobains Road in Sale.

People moving to the areas should travel via the Bruthen-Buchan road. The Princes Highway will be closed from Lake Entrance to Orbost from 9am on Saturday.

An emergency warning has also been issued for Wade Junction, in the Lake Monbeong area where it is no longer safe to travel. People are being advised to shelter indoors.

Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.24pm: $25m in relief payments made

The federal government has paid out nearly $25 million in disaster relief payments to Australians affected by bushfires since September of last year amid a horror bushfire season that has destroyed over 1500 homes and killed 19 people.

The federal minister for government services Stuart Robert said that payments of the Disaster Recovery Payment (DRP) and the Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) have been made to 20,600 people, and is ready to pay out more as claims are submitted.

The DRP is a one-off payment of $1000 for adults and $400 for each child made to people who have lost homes, a loved one or been severely injured in a major disaster.

The DRA is an income supplement paid for up to 13 weeks to individuals who have had their source of income disrupted by a major disaster, such as farmers or small business people.

Minister Robert said that the payments are being processed as quickly as possible so Australians can meet their immediate needs.

“We know many communities are continuing to respond to the bushfire threat especially as conditions worsen over coming days, however, we are ready to provide government services to the emerging needs of Australians affected by this situation,” Minister Robert said.

A claim for the payments can be lodged by calling 180 22 66, with the phone lines remaining open on the weekend from 8am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Mobile service centres will be dispatched to the affected areas when it is safe to help Australians receive support.

7.20pm: Evacuated residents eating at a mess aboard HMAS Choules

Joseph Lam 6.33pm: Five NSW leave zones established

As of 6pm the Rural Fire Service declared there were 138 fires burning across NSW, 74 of which are uncontained.

As worsening conditions forecast for Saturday pose a “serious threat to life” and more than half of NSW fires burn out of control, the RFS has established five leave zones across the state.

Tourist Leave Zone: Snowy Monaro

Tourists are urged to leave the South Coast and Snowy Monaro regions with conditions set to be equal or worse than New Year’s Eve. Kosciuszko National Park has closed and tourists in the area must leave before Saturday.

Residents in the Wondalga and Batlow area are also urged to leave before tomorrow with the RFS warning the township of Batlow “will not be defendable”. Floating embers pose a threat to pine plantation adjacent of the town.

Khancoban residents are urged to leave today as The Green Valley fire and the East Ournie Creek fire burn north and west of the Tooma Valley and the Upper Murray Valley.

Rachel Baxendale 6.11pm: Corryong running short of fuel

State Member for the far north east Victorian seat of Benambra, Bill Tilley, said people in the Corryong area were without mains power and running short of fuel to run the generator which has been powering the town.

“Telstra’s been good at doing what they can to fix phone towers, but comms have been patchy, there’s no assurance of power, and fuel’s running short,” Mr Tilley said.

“On the ground itself there’s significant devastation, with a lot of stressed cattle.

“A couple of farmers I’ve spoken have had to euthanase their own animals.”

Mr Tilley, an active member of the Wodonga West CFA, said 15 to 20 properties had already been lost in the area since Monday, predominantly in the Cudgewa area.

He said Burrumbuttock hay runner Brendan ‘Bumpa’ Farrell, whose charity has been providing hay to drought-affected farmers, had sent 54 prime movers and trailers with hay to fire-ravaged farmers in the Corryong area on Friday.

“It’s the first time Brendan’s done a hay run anywhere in Victoria,” Mr Tilley said.

“He’s a champion Australian.”

Communities near the Corryong fire are bracing themselves for horrific fire conditions on Saturday, with a top temperature of 46C forecast.

Kieran Gair 6.03pm: ‘Apple capital’ emergency warning

The NSW Rural Fire Service has issued an emergency warning for the Dunns Road fire burning in the Snowy Valleys.

“Fire activity is increasing in the area of Old Tumbarumba Rd and Peels Creek Rd,” the Rural Fire Service said.

“If you are in Batlow and surrounding areas, it is too late to leave. Seek shelter as the fire approaches.”

Residents in the historic town of Batlow - known as Australia’s apple capital - were ordered to “get out” early on Friday, because the “township will not be defendable”.

The town, south west of Canberra, is home to about 1300 people and supplies 10 percent of apples to the Australian market.

Mark Schliebs 5.30pm: Conditions ‘worse than Monday’

Tens of thousands of people are being asked to evacuate from East Gippsland, where authorities are expecting a bigger “fire-run” this weekend than what was seen on Monday.

Country Fire Authority chief fire officer Steve Warrington said 3.5 per cent of Victoria has already been hit with fire, and there were growing fears about hot conditions and winds forecast for the state’s northeast and East Gippsland region on Saturday.

“This is not over,” Mr Warrington said. “Also out there, (firefighters) are working tirelessly, putting in breaks for this wind change that will come tomorrow. We are currently putting in strike teams – that’s five trucks per strike team – into townships that we think potentially will be impacted tomorrow. We’re telling people to get out of those communities, particularly campers.”

Gippsland’s deputy chief fire officer Beth Roberts said the region was “going into weather patterns now that will be more significant than what we saw on Monday”.

“It will be a greater run over the next two days than what we saw on Monday, which was the most significant run we’ve seen to date,” Ms Roberts said.

“Some communities that have already been impacted by fire can be impacted once again. Not all the fuels have been burnt.”

Mr Warrington on Friday visited the communities of Wairewa, where 11 homes were lost, as well as Buchan, where 24 houses have been destroyed.

But he said other communities in the region remain isolated, with firefighters being unable to access them since Monday, including Genoa, where up to 30 people remain trapped.

”We’ve tried to get trucks in from NSW and the RFS, we’ve tried a few times to get them in from CFA … and we’ve been unable to get trucks into Genoa,” he said. “That community is bunkered down on its own without any fire trucks.

“There are communities that cannot remove (themselves) and we’re trying to support them as best we can.”

Rachel Baxendale 5.20pm: Many in Whitfield staying, despite evacuation order

Federal member for the north east Victorian seat of Indi, Helen Haines, said about 250 people had attended a community meeting at the Whitfield recreation reserve in the King Valley on Friday afternoon.

An “evacuate now” alert was issued for Abbeyard, Bennies, Cheshunt, Cheshunt South, Dandongadale, Edi, Edi Upper, King Valley, Rose River, Whitfield and Whitlands at 3:35pm on Friday.

Several fires in the area are of concern, with a 15Ha bushfire burning in the Black Range 3km ENE of Whitfield, as well as a much larger fire out of control in more remote country near Abbeyard to the south east.

Dry lightning has been forecast for the region, posing the risk of further ignitions, with a top temperature on Friday of 37C expected to rise to 42C on Saturday.

“The message from the CFA was to enact your fire plan, and if you’re planning to leave, you should leave now,” Ms Haines said.

“There was a show of hands, and somewhere between a third and a half of people said they’d stay.

“Others we spoke to said they’re packing their cars and they’re going.”

Jess and Steve Sartori from the Whitfield General Store said they had already closed the shop and left.

The areas of Towong and the Nariel Valley, either side of Corryong in Victoria’s far north east were of greatest concern on the inland side of the Great Dividing Range on Friday afternoon, with the Murray Valley Highway closed in both directions.

Emergency warnings were in place for Berringama, Burrowye, Koetong, Lucyvale, Nariel Valley, and Shelley, and Biggara, Tintaldra, Towong, Towong Upper and Walwa communities, with residents told it was too late to leave.

A steady stream of tourists left alpine areas such as Harrietville and Bright early on Friday morning.

Ms Haines said about 20 people had spent the night at a relief centre at the Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre on Thursday night, but many more were expected on Friday.

Lachlan Moffet Gray 5.15pm: ‘Make your mind up now’

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Deputy Rural Fire Service Deputy Commissioner Rob Rodgers have one message for people in NSW’s south coast ahead of a catastrophic weekend for bushfires: whether you stay or go, make up your mind now.

Deputy Commissioner Rodgers said that the RFS will be at “surge capacity tomorrow” with more than 3000 fires and 800 aerial and ground support vehicles to be deployed at 18 key regions around the state in anticipation for a day where fire conditions will be “the same, or worse” than New Year’s Eve.

“What I am saying is we have done our part, now many in the community need to do their part and that means being out of those areas, making sure you are not in a vulnerable spot.”

Five key areas of concern were highlighted by the Deputy Commissioner: the Shoalhaven area, the South Coast from Batemans Bay down to the Victorian border, the Snow Valley fire and areas around Sydney relating to the Grose Valley and Gospers Mountain fires like Penrith and Mittagong.

People are being urged to call 1800 RFS for information what to and only ring triple-0 if they are in immediate danger.

Ms Berejiklian said that people had the chance to get out of the south coast tonight via the Princes Highway but warned that “the window will close” if people delay any longer.

The Premier also stated that all 30 NSW Government departments were coordinating to prepare for tomorrow and talking to federal agencies. Supplies will be ferried in by the government to where it is needed.

Deputy Commissioner Rodgers stated that they were adequately prepared, rebuking a call from former NSW Fire Commissioner Mullins to borrow aerial assistance from overseas.

“No. We have the resources we want. We cannot get, you cannot, there is a limit to how many aircraft can safely operate over fire grounds.” he said.

“It is not all about the big jets flying around, it is all about the local people, first attack, getting there and putting the fires out before they become problems.”

Dangerous fire conditions are expected to peak tomorrow afternoon when wind speeds pick up. Footage has emerged of Blue Mountains firefighters overrun by a firefront: a stark reminder of what may be ahead again.

Blue Mountains firefighters overrun by fire front

Rachel Baxendale 4.10pm: King Valley locals alert, not alarmed

Cheshunt General Store owner Cathy van Gastelen said that while some locals in the upper King Valley in Victoria’s north east had evacuated, she and many others were staying put, and were alert but not alarmed.

An “evacuate now” alert was issued for the nearby communities of Abbeyard, Bennies, Cheshunt, Cheshunt South, Dandongadale, Edi, Edi Upper, King Valley, Rose River, Whitfield and Whitlands at 3.35pm on Friday.

Several fires in the area are of concern, with a 15Ha bushfire burning in the Black Range 3km ENE of Whitfield, as well as a much larger fire out of control in more remote country near Abbeyard to the south east.

Dry lightning has been forecast for the region, posing the risk of further ignitions, with a top temperature on Friday of 37C expected to rise to 42C on Saturday.

Ms van Gastelen, 51, a fifth generation Cheshunt resident and local CFA community safety liaison officer, said she was “not going anywhere”, despite orders to evacuate the town.

“I’ve never gone anywhere. I’m the only shop that’s open that can provide services,” she said.

“I’m not worried yet. Right now there’s not much wind and the leaves are barely moving, but if it gets windy it could get nasty very quickly.

“The valley could be in danger tomorrow. If the wind was to turn a hot southerly and bring the fire back towards us we might have an ember situation which would create some problems, as would more dry lightning strikes.”

Ms van Gastelen said she believed the message to evacuate should have been more tailored, with visitors ordered to leave, but the wishes of locals who want to stay respected.

“I agree that if you don’t need to be here, get out, because we can’t look after you, but I don’t agree with them telling the locals to get out, because most of us are quite capable of looking after ourselves,” she said.

“There’s a lot that already have evacuated.

“At this point in time I’ve got nine that I know of that have gone already out of Cheshunt and surrounds, including Cheshunt South and Rose River.

“Police have done their doorknock and told people to be out by 10am tomorrow if they’re leaving.”

Ms van Gastelen said information about the size and progress of the nearby fires had not been updated regularly on the Vic Emergency App.

“I respect what the authorities are doing, but I think there needs to be more common sense from people. They need to be looking at their surroundings, not at their phones.

“If there is wind and the smoke is coming at you, get the hell out of there.”

Debbie Schipp 3.05pm: NSW: Heat, wind lightning as fire map warns worse to come

The NSW RFS has published a Fire Spread Prediction Map for Saturday and all local residents are urged to ensure they are aware of the areas at risk.

Temperatures surpassing 40C are set to combine with dry lightning strikes and wind to add to NSW’s bushfire nightmare over the weekend, AAP reports.

A total of 1365 homes have been lost in NSW this bushfire season.

Saturday’s forecast is grim: especially for the NSW south coast, already battling scores of uncontrolled deadly bushfires as residents flee their homes and holiday-goers cancel plans.

The Snowy Mountains fires are predicted to spread the most, but authorities are most concerned about the South Coast regions from Nowra to the Victorian border. The Blue Mountains fire near Sydney is also expected to head east towards Penrith.

Heat will rise on Saturday before a change sweeps over the state, Bureau of Meteorology acting NSW manager Jane Golding said.

“In short, we’ve got a long hot day to get through first with some really dangerous fire dangers,” Ms Golding told reporters on Friday. “That cold front bringing that southerly change, we’re expecting that not to reach the far south coast … until late in the day, to move through the Batemans Bay region early evening and come through Sydney about midnight.” The fire danger will reach extreme levels in some areas and the forecast late cool change is due to bring thunderstorms and lightning.

“The chance of new fires from lightning tomorrow (Saturday) is high,” Ms Golding said.

“The main area we’re concerned about is an area stretching right from the South Australian border to the central and southern slopes, western slopes of NSW.”

NSW Health, meanwhile, warned people to remain cautious about air pollution, with the Sydney basin likely to endure smoke haze on Saturday. The elderly and those with lung and heart conditions have been advised to remain indoors and avoid exercise.

Greg Brown 2.45pm: NSW: residents’ anger at ‘neglect’

South coast residents are seething at the NSW government and local councils for failing to take adequate precaution in hazard reduction burning.

The chief executive of the local Aboriginal Land Council, Terry Hill, hit out at land management as he surveyed destroyed homes in Cobargo.

Mr Hill said two of the properties the Aboriginal body owned to house indigenous people had been impacted by the fires.

“It is because of 230 years of environmental neglect,” Mr Hill said.

“What has happened here, because of the red tape and everything else, one thing what Australia should have learnt from Aboriginal people is the fire management regime.

“The fuel load has been allowed to build up and build up and build up over a number of years and this is the effect that you get. We live in a country where there was a fire management regime. It was done for a purpose but when the boats arrived that practice stopped.”

Mr Hill said conservation and green groups should stop opposing large-scale hazard reduction burns.

Terry Hill, CEO Merrimans Aboriginal Land Council on a destroyed property in Coolagolite, NSW. Picture: Sean Davey.
Terry Hill, CEO Merrimans Aboriginal Land Council on a destroyed property in Coolagolite, NSW. Picture: Sean Davey.

“The millions of dollars they are spending on aircraft wouldn’t be needed if the land was tended to by fire,” he said.

Cobargo resident Di Shipton said the excess fuel loads in the area made the fires worse.

“If they are going to allow people to reside here they should be doing their best to protect them,” Ms Shipton said.

Numbugga locals Stephen and Janet Lennon were scathing of the NSW government’s management of nearby national parks.

Mr Lennon said authorities failed to learn the lessons from the bushfire in the forests last August.

Mr Lennon said 30 years ago the government sent bulldozers into the bush to create fire trails.

“You are not even allowed to cut down trees on your property.”

David Ross 2.40pm: Roads damage will linger

As motorists leave the fire zones experts are warning that roads may remain closed for extended periods of time.

Most roads are built using asphalt which can be melted or even destroyed in the intense heat generated by bushfires and burning trees which can fall on roads.

Many will have seen images of melted road signs and buckled safety barriers in the wakes of fires across the South Coast and Gippsland, but the less obvious dangers from fires can be the secret killers.

The high heat of the fires can melt away the bitumen that holds the road together, this can cause motorists to drive on roads after and during fires to skid dangerously out of control.

Professor Priyan Mendes professor of civil engineering at The University of Melbourne told the Australian it might be time to start designing roads to survive bushfires.

“We are not designing these roads for these elevated temperatures,” he said.

“Bushfires, we have to start treating them as normal events, every year we go through them.”

He said the damage from the fires can take some time before it appears.

“When asphalt comes to the surface we can see it – but there can be things where underneath the surface has weakened which we don’t see,” he said.

“When people start driving it gets damaged more and more and when the aggregate is exposed.”

NSW roads bushfire clean-up

David Hurley, Monique Hore 2.30pm: 300 now on HMAS Choules at Mallacoota

About 300 people are now on-board HMAS Choules as the mass evacuation effort in Mallacoota continues.

After stepping into the dock area the evacuees were given a welcome briefing before being ushered to the canteen areas.

Many hugged crew members as they stepped onto the ship as the emotion of the last three days took its toll.

About 1000 people have been evacuated from Mallcoota ion just over eight hours. Picture: David Caird
About 1000 people have been evacuated from Mallcoota ion just over eight hours. Picture: David Caird

The voyage to Westernport will take about 20 hours. The ship is expected to set sail around 5pm Friday.

Lieutenant Commander Arron Convery, the Executive Officer of HMAS Choules, said: “Once people are on-board our mission is to give them a safe haven.

“They will be well looked after. This is very different but we are trained for this scenario.

“The main response we are getting from people has been gratitude. “There has been a lot of emotion and hugs.”

Those with young children and pets made up the first wave of evacuees.

Elly and Damien Koster were leaving with their four children and dog. “We wanted to get out before Saturday,” Mrs Koster said.

Chefs ready for the influx of evacuees. Picture: David Caird
Chefs ready for the influx of evacuees. Picture: David Caird

“The important thing is to be safe. We want to keep the children safe.”

The first two boats left the wharf by 8.40am.

Those being evacuated first included families with young children and people with pets.

They will be taken to a smaller ship before the majority of people are ferried to HMAS Choules.

Up to 50 people were also flown out yesterday.

Melbourne man Jonty Smith is among 60-70 people on MV Sycamore, a training vessel, that has left Mallacoota.

Mr Smith’s mum and stepfather have remained in the beachside town in the hope of driving out two cars in the coming weeks.

“We’re well on our way,” Mr Smith said.

“There’s probably about 66 of us on here, plus crew.

“There’s enough beds and cabins for all of us, so it’s very comfortable.”

Mr Smith said it was due to be a “long trip” arriving at Westernport about 10am tomorrow.

We’ll get transferred into Somerville where we either be picked up by family or friends, or there will be bus transfers available to Melbourne,” he said.

David Ross 2.05pm: Police probe deliberately-lit Snowys fire

Police are appealing for information as they investigate a deliberately-lit fire in Jindabyne, NSW this morning.

A passing motorist saw a fire in bushland near the Kosciuszko National Park at 6.30am this morning and alerted emergency services as he attempted to put the fire out.

Fire and Rescue NSW attended and were able to extinguish the fire before it spread further.

Initial investigations determined the fire was deliberately lit.

The fire risk in the Monaro Alpine region is rated as very high, with a total fire ban in force.

The RFS having serious concerns for the areas covering from Adaminaby to Cooma, then southwest to Jindabyne, Perisher Valley and Thredbo. This includes all of the Kosciuszko National Park.

Greg Brown 1.55pm: South Coast residents prepare

South coast residents are hosing their homes, installing sprinklers on their roofs and removing dry bush from their properties as they prepare for catastrophic fire conditions on Saturday.

Locals say fortifying their homes has been made harder by the drought, which limits water availability and makes their yards drier.

Chris Allen, 72, and Jenny Spinks, 68, were on Friday morning installing a sprinkler on their roof in Bega, which is connected to a rainwater tank that has 25,000 litres of water remaining.

The couple, who have lived in the home for a decade, plan to turn on the sprinkler if they evacuate their home tomorrow and Mr Allen said there was enough water to keep it running for two hours.

They hope their vegetable garden will also act as a deterrent if flames come to their home on the weekend.

“We put a lot of water already on the northern side of the house and into the garden,” Mr Allen told The Australian.

Nambugga resident Dave Hargreaves, left, installs a sprinkler system for Jenny Spinks at her home in Bega. Picture: Sean Davey.
Nambugga resident Dave Hargreaves, left, installs a sprinkler system for Jenny Spinks at her home in Bega. Picture: Sean Davey.

“We have just removed as many of the flammable materials as we can. And pruned back the branches and anything that we know is flammable. But we kept every bit of green stuff that we could in the garden and really watered it well.”

When asked if the drought made saving their home harder, Mr Allen, whose lungs were under pressure from the smoke, said “my oath”.

“Normally the paddocks are green. But that is not happening. It may all catch fire but we are trying to create as much of a buffer and a barrier nearer to the house,” he said.

They will either evacuate to the Bega Showgrounds or the coastal town of Merimbula.

In the secluded Desert Creek Road in Numbugga, Stephen and Janet Lennon worry whether they have enough water to adequately protect their cattle and sheep farm.

“This year has been the driest year I have seen since I have been here. There has been no rain at all. The last rainfall I saw was 24 millilitres in two days and that was back in March,” Mr Lennon said.

“So we have no rain at all. We are down to the lowest water we have ever had here. I’m starting to worry about stock. We will probably run out of water in two weeks.”

The couple are on a hill near forests and have fires already burning west and north of their property.

Mr Lennon said he would stay by the house and use limited water available to try and put out embers that came towards the property.

If the fires become too dangerous, they face a 4km drive to get off Desert Creek Road, which has 19 homes and with a population of 50 people.

Mrs Lennon said she was frustrated with the lack of communication about the coming bushfires, given they did not have access to internet.

“We have had nobody come to visit and give us an update to tell us what is going on. I know the resources are stretched to the max but you think you would have one person come around,” she said.

“We are just not getting the information. Where is it? How bad is it? When is it coming?”

But the Lennon’s had two helpers on the property — 20-year-old family friend Jordon Coffey and his Dutch girlfriend 19-year-old Brittney Reukers.

Ms Reukers, who was in the south coast on Tuesday’s fire, came to Australia as a backpacker and cannot believe the natural calamity she has witnessed this week.

“This is crazy. (In Europe) in summer we might have a bad fire in Spain and that is it,” she said.

“They have it out in like a week and it is done. When we drove up here it was scary.”

Stephen and Janet Lennon at their home in Nambugga NSW with family friends Brittany Reukers (19) (from the Netherlands) and Jordan Coffey (20) from Canberra, who came down to help them prepare. Picture: Sean Davey.
Stephen and Janet Lennon at their home in Nambugga NSW with family friends Brittany Reukers (19) (from the Netherlands) and Jordan Coffey (20) from Canberra, who came down to help them prepare. Picture: Sean Davey.

Back in Bega, Lee Bateman was hosing his home, soaking his yard and removing dry leaves.

He said he would consider evacuating to the nearby river if the fire threatened his rental home.

“No one is prepared for this. There is panic everywhere. I have seen people going crazy,” Mr Bateman said.

“I’m scared but what can I do?”

Mr Bateman said he had packed his guitar in his car in case he needs to leave.

Lee Bateman hoses down his home in Bega. Picture: Sean Davey.
Lee Bateman hoses down his home in Bega. Picture: Sean Davey.

Mother-of-five Amanda Rolfe and neighbours Monique and George Owens are also putting sprinklers on their roofs and hosing their homes.

Ms Rolfe said it was the most panicked she had seen people in Bega.

“Are we going to see Sunday? These are the questions nobody knows,” she said.

“We will stay and defend until we know we can’t.

“I don’t think I have ever seen panic in the town like this.”

Ms Owens said local chemists had run out of Ventolin to treat her asthma, which risks being triggered in the smoke.

Ms Rolfe said ageing homes in the street had asbestos.

“These homes across the road are all asbestos,” she said.

“I don’t know what happens or whether you are still exposed to it if the houses burn.”

David Ross 1.46pm: Fire risk to Kangaroo Island

Fires on Kangaroo Island, SA have jumped control lines, putting the entire west of the island under bushfire risk.

On Thursday there were 99 firefighters on the fireground backburning and creating earth-breaks in an attempt to contain the fire ahead of a wind change this afternoon.

The CFS is urging anyone on the island to seek refuge or to remain in its eastern end, at towns such as American River or Penneshaw.

Rosie Lewis 1.44pm: ‘Turn to Canada, France for support’

A ‘furious’ former NSW fire commissioner Greg Mullins has urged the PM to call his counterparts in Canada, France to ask for their water bombers. Read the full story here.

Rosie Lewis 1.40pm: Morrison may cancel India-Japan trip

The National Security Committee of cabinet will meet on Saturday morning to decide if Scott Morrison proceeds with a planned trip to India and Japan, with the Prime Minister revealing he was not inclined to go.

“I’m inclined not to proceed with that visit,” Mr Morrison said from the Bairnsdale Incident Control Centre in Victoria.

“There are some issues I just need to resolve formally through what you’d expect when you make a decision of that nature to work through those issues with the other ministers. But that is my inclination at this point. I’ll make a further announcement and we’ll make the arrangements accordingly.”

Mr Morrison, who was widely criticised for holidaying in Hawaii before Christmas while fires raged at home, was due to leave for India on January 12.

Jack the Insider 1.38pm: Misplaced blame over fires near me

It is understandable that blame is being heaved all over the place, but one figure should expect to pay a price over the bushfires. Read Jack the Insider’s full take on the bushfires here.

David Ross 1.17pm: Teen arrested over looting

A teenager has been arrested after looting a home evacuated after bushfire warnings.

The 19-year-old suspect is reported to have broken into the unoccupied property in Batlow, NSW after residents had fled the huge Dunns Road fire that has burned 132,804 hectares, around 3.30 on Thursday.

NSW Police alleged the man rifled through the home before stealing a Ford Falcon sedan.

He’s alleged to have stolen jewellery, documentation, and ammunition from the house.

Police saw the teenager driving erratically on Old Tumbarumba Road in Batlow but were unable to continue their pursuit “due to safety concerns”.

The 19-year-old sped off before crashing into a tree. He remains in Wagga Wagga Base Hospital under police guard.

David Ross 12.55pm: Qld firefighters ‘repay the favour’

Queensland is sending more than 70 firefighters to NSW today to “repay the favour”

Up to 20 appliances, including trucks and planes and more than 70 firefighters will head to NSW today after a call for volunteers was put out.

Fire and Rescue staff who are among the 70 volunteers will focus on protecting houses in the Sydney region, while the QRFS volunteers will be tackling bushfires around Wollongong.

Debbie Schipp 12.45pm: NSW: Traffic snarls on South Coast

As the exodus from the South Coast continues, there are long queues across the area.

Here’s the scene at Bendalong road as motorists try to evacuate.

Holiday-makers in the alps and popular holiday destinations between Nowra and the Victorian border have been asked to be out by Friday night, causing massive traffic queues and petrol and supply shortages.

Police overnight were escorting 100 cars at a time on the Princes Highway from Milton to Nowra, with one convoy halted midway due to dangerous trees. The highway on Friday morning had reopened northbound from Milton. Escorts were also needed to get fuel to dry petrol stations in Moruya, a town cut off on multiple fronts including its access to Batemans Bay to the north.

More than 140 fires are burning across NSW, with dozens uncontained and thousands of firefighters in the field.

Debbie Schipp 12.35pm: NSW: Woolies on South Coast

From Woolworths, trying to balance the need for supplies with gridlocked roads and keeping their staff safe, comes an update on their South Coast stores status:

— Woolworths Narooma and Bermagui are closed and won’t reopen until Sunday.

— Woolworths Batemans Bay and Moruya are open until 8pm Friday. They will close Saturday and reopen on Sunday.

— BWS stores in Batemans Bay and Narooma are closed Friday. All BWS stores south of Nowra to Tura Beach will be closed Saturday.

Stock was replenished across Woolworths stores overnight on the South Coast, with the exception of Moruya, with delivery trucks escorted by police through the Princes Highway closure on Thursday evening.

Debbie Schipp 12.25pm: NSW: Towns cut off, locals rescued by boat

At Ulladulla Harbour locals are using their own boats to take supplies and rescue people from Bendalong, Manyana, Cunjurong Point and Lake Conjola: towns that are isolated due to the fires.

People are trapped in Manyana and Bendalong — townships north of Ulladulla, near Lake Conjola. Some residents have been trapped since Tuesday, with roads closed and fires an ever-present threat.

There are no shops at Manyana, and it’s understood people are running out of food.

Tourism website Ulladulla.info says the RFS and police are escorting people out of Bendalong today by car in blocks of 20-50 vehicles at a time.

The scene at Ulladulla where Locals are using their own boats to take supplies and rescue people from Bendalong, Manyana, Cunjurong Point and Lake Conjola towns that are isolated due to the fires. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts
The scene at Ulladulla where Locals are using their own boats to take supplies and rescue people from Bendalong, Manyana, Cunjurong Point and Lake Conjola towns that are isolated due to the fires. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts
The scene at Ulladulla Harbour, where locals have used their own boats for mercy dashes to take supplies and rescue people from Lake Conjola and Manyana. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts
The scene at Ulladulla Harbour, where locals have used their own boats for mercy dashes to take supplies and rescue people from Lake Conjola and Manyana. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

David Ross 12.20pm: NZ PM sends support, and more firefighters

New Zealand’s Prime Minister has made a stirring Facebook post sending support to Australia.

“It’s been devastating to watch from afar,” the PM Jacinda Ardern said in the post.

“I can only imagine what it feels like to experience it directly.”

New Zealand will send another 22 firefighters next week, adding to the 150 already in Australia.

Even before we saw the smoke from the fires across the ditch, I know we were already thinking of our friends and...

Posted by Jacinda Ardern on Thursday, 2 January 2020

Rachel Baxendale 12.20pm: Vic: Falls Creek now included in state of disaster

Premier Daniel Andrews has updated the declaration of a state of disaster to include the Falls Creek Alpine Resort.

Rachel Baxendale 12.05pm: Vic: police monitor heavy traffic exodus

Victorian police commissioner Graham Ashton said police were expecting significant traffic on highways out of North East Victoria and East Gippsland on Friday and were deploying highway patrol teams to make sure it ran smoothly.

“There’ll be a lot of traffic on the road,” he said.

“We’ve been in touch in relation to critical infrastructure around petrol supplies through those petrol stations that are likely to be heavily attended today, and so that was stuck in place yesterday, so we anticipate there will be enough resourcing presence there, but people will need to expect that there will be delays, and again we encourage people to be patient through that process as well.”

Rachel Baxendale 12.02pm: Vic: where to get more fire information

People in North East Victoria and East Gippsland can find more information about the state of disaster and potential impact area on the Emergency Vic website.

There is also more detailed information available for people in the Ovens and King Valleys, Mt Buller and the Upper Murray.

Fire updates are available on the Vic Emergency Incidents & Warnings page, by using the Vic Emergency smartphone app, or by calling 1800 226 226.

Victoria Police chief commissioner Graham Ashton also urged people making decision about evacuating to register with the Red Cross’s Register. Find. Reunite. initiative, at redcross.org.au site, or by calling 1800 727 077.

Rebecca Urban 12.05pm: Vic: police doorknocking residents

Victorian police commissioner Graham Ashton said police had on Thursday and Friday been doorknocking residents in the potential fire impact areas in North East Victoria and East Gippsland.

“Today police will be out in these areas. We’ll also be maintaining a presence in those locations of major centres after this evacuation occurs,” Mr Ashton said.

“That police presence will remain there as long as it’s safe for those officers that are in those locations, and that will obviously be a moving event as the fire impacts on the weekend.”

Mr Ashton said police would not be arresting people who refused to leave, but had so far been grateful for community support around evacuations and relocations.

“The community can’t expect today over such a huge geographic area that every door’s going to be knocked, so we’re going to be moving down streets, we’ll be communicating with people, which will include doorknocks, but ultimately may include you hearing from a police car in the street.”

Police are working with hospitals and aged care facilities in the East Gippsland and North East Victorian potential fire impact areas to enact existing local government evacuation plans.

“Again, our police will be making every effort today to get to those people as well, who obviously live on their own or in other places to be able to get to them as well, and offer support to them around their evacuation needs,” Mr Ashton said.

Rebecca Urban 12.05pm: Vic: What ‘state of disaster means’

Victoria’s ability to declare a “state of disaster” — and compel people to leave high-risk areas for bushfire — is a result of legislative changes introduced in the wake of the deadly Black Saturday fires 11 years ago.

The 2010 amendments made to the Emergency Management Act 1986, the premier has the power to declare a state of disaster in cases where he receives advice there is significant and widespread danger to life or property across the state.

Doing so gives the state’s co-ordinator in chief access to “all available resources of the government, which they consider “necessary or desirable for responding to the disaster”

The Co-ordinator in Chief also has power to:

Direct any government agency to do or refrain from doing any act, or to exercise or perform or refrain from exercising or performing any function, power, duty or responsibility

Take possession and make use of any person’s property considered necessary or desirable for responding to the disaster

Control and restrict entry into, movement within and departure from the disaster area or any part of it.

Compel the evacuation of any or all persons from the disaster area or any part of it.

It’s first time the Victorian Government has used these powers since they were included in the following the devastating Victorian Bushfires in February 2009, which claimed 173 lives.

NSW has declared its third state of emergency, which has similar compulsion powers, in two months.

Rachel Baxendale 11.55am: Vic: Where to evacuate to

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton says police have established a state of disaster activation plan to facilitate evacuations and other necessary measures in response to the Premier’s declaration of a state of disaster on Thursday night, with a state police operation centre established for the purpose.

“The work that was done overnight is in respect to possibly 35,000 square kilometres of land and covering approximately 100,000 people in terms of total population,” Mr Ashton said.

“The area of potential impact zone obviously includes a number of substantial population centres, including Bright, Lakes Entrance, Mallacoota, Myrtleford, Omeo and Orbost.”

“Again, as the Premier said, for everyone in that impact zone, if you can leave, we’re saying you must leave.”

Police want people to make a sequence of decisions in relation to evacuation: firstly self-evacuating to their own properties if they are holiday-makers or have places outside the exclusion zones they can go to; secondly evacuate to the homes of family and friends outside the fire zones; or thirdly evacuate to council or Australian Defence Force relief centres.

Key local government relief centres have been set up at:

– Bairnsdale Football Pavilion, Macarthur St, Bairnsdale

– Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre, Ford St, Wangaratta.

– The Cube, Hovell St, Wodonga

– Wodonga Showgrounds – with room for caravans and animals

Mr Ashton said to Australian Defence Force relief centres had also been established overnight on Thursday, at the Gaza Ridge barracks at Bandiana, east of Wodonga, and at HMAS Cerberus on the Mornington Peninsula.

There is fixed accommodation and existing facilities at both ADF locations.

Scott Morrison at the donations centre in Lucknow on the outskirts of Bairnsdale. Aaron Francis/The Australian
Scott Morrison at the donations centre in Lucknow on the outskirts of Bairnsdale. Aaron Francis/The Australian

Rebecca Urban 11.52am: Vic: Police help people evacuate

Police are assisting people evacuate from towns across the northeast of Victoria that are surrounded by fires threatening to intensify.

An evacuation warning has been issued for Berringama, Burrowye, Koetong, Lucyvale, Nariel Valley, Shelley and surrounding communities amid concerns that Saturday’s extreme conditions will lead to “fire storm conditions which may not be survivable”.

“It is strongly recommended that you evacuate now and move to a safer location away from the fire,” the warning says.

“Residents in Nariel Valley, Lucyvale, Berringama, Koetong, Shelley, Burrowye and surrounding communities should leave via Murray Valley Highway and head west towards Tallangatta.”

A relief centre is open at Tallangatta Memorial Hall, Wodonga at The Cube and Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre. An animal relief centre is open at Wangaratta Showgrounds.

The area, which is west of Corryong, is surrounded by fires to the north and south, and northeast over the border in NSW.

Residents have been told they have until 1.30pm to leave: “Evacuation after this time is considered life threatening.”

Mark Schliebs 11.50am: PM welcomed at Lucknow

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has arrived in bushfire-stricken East Gippsland, meeting with survivors and volunteers at a donation centre before heading into burnt-out communities.

Unlike the scenes in the NSW town of Cobargo, where he was heckled and abused on Thursday night, Mr Morrison was welcomed with smiles at the donation centre in Lucknow, on the outskirts of Bairnsdale.

He gave a bag of non-perishable food to volunteer Lorraine Hughes, before meeting others at the Lucknow Memorial Hall.

One of the people he met was Lyn Wallwork, whose home in nearby Sarsfield was destroyed early Tuesday morning.

“You’re safe in the arms of your family?” Mr Morrison asked. “That’s very important. It’s going to be a tough road ahead.”

PM Scott Morrison arrives with non-perishable items on his visit to the donations centre in Lucknow on the outskirts of Bairnsdale. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian
PM Scott Morrison arrives with non-perishable items on his visit to the donations centre in Lucknow on the outskirts of Bairnsdale. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian

Ms Wallwork later said it was “silly” that the prime minister was abused in NSW on Thursday.

“You can’t be everywhere,” she said. “NSW has got it really, bad. I just think it’s silly. The politicians can’t be everywhere at once.

“I think it’s useful (for him to come to Gippsland), because that’s supporting us.”

Ms Wallwork said it has now sunk in that she has lost her home, five years after another fire destroyed a shed on her property, but she was glad she and her husband fled to Bairnsdale before the fire arrived.

Volunteer Christine Zagami spoke to Mr Morrison about the overwhelming number of donations coming in and the reluctance of some people who have lost their homes or possessions to collect any because they’re “quite shy about that”.

She said he understood the message and showed support for the work being done.

“It’s about awareness, it’s about support and it’s about coming together right now,” she said.

“Regardless of what everyone’s thoughts are, it’s about helping the people that need it right now, and the rest we’ll work out as it goes.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison outside the Lucknow Hall, transformed into a donations centre on the outskirts of Bairnsdale. Aaron Francis/The Australian
Prime Minister Scott Morrison outside the Lucknow Hall, transformed into a donations centre on the outskirts of Bairnsdale. Aaron Francis/The Australian

Rosie Lewis 11.40am: ‘I don’t take heckling personally’: PM

Scott Morrison says he doesn’t take the heckling he received in the fire-ravaged town of Cobargo on Thursday personally and understands people are angry and upset with the situation they face.

“Whether they’re angry with me or they’re angry about their situation, all I know was that they’re hurting and it’s my job to try and be there and offer some comfort and support. That’s my job.” Read more here.

Debbie Schipp 11.10am: Relief for first evacuees

Footage has emerged of the first evacuees from Mallacoota arriving at HMAS Choules, with the Herald Sun’s David Hurley tweeting video of the arrival. And don’t they look relieved:

David Ross 11am: WA: Catastrophic fire danger, Eyre Highway blocked

The main road from Perth to the east of Australia remains cut after fires were sparked on Christmas Day.

Many other fires are burning across the state and a Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating (FDR) is in place for today with very hot, dry and windy conditions expected

The Eyre Highway is blocked at the Caiguna Roadhouse, which is 1,000km east of Perth, and at its western edge 320km away at Norseman.

More than 150 people are stranded by the road closures at the Caiguna Roadhouse after fires burned 148,000 hectares of land.

Authorities are expecting the road to remain shut for at least the next four days but are pleading with travellers to not take back roads to get around the road closures.

Western Australia Police Force have had numerous requests for assistance from stranded travellers who have tried to bypass the roadblock.

Passengers queue for evacuation from Mallacoota. David Caird
Passengers queue for evacuation from Mallacoota. David Caird

David Ross 10.40am: SA: Grim outlook for Kangaroo Island fire

South Australia is facing a bad day today, with the SA CFS particularly worried about the fire on Kangaroo Island in the state’s South East.

A cool change is expected to blow through between 7pm and 9pm along the coast and Adelaide which could fan the flames.

Two fires are currently burning on the far west of the island and there are concerned high winds and extreme temperatures today could see them jump containment lines and merge.

The CFS has an extreme fire danger warning for Kangaroo Island, the Mount Lofty Ranges, Lower South East, and the lower Eyre and Yorke peninsulas. Total fire bans have been declared in several districts.

Adelaide is heading for a top of 42 degrees today, with hotter temperatures inland at with 47C at Oodnadatta and Tarcoola.

Stephen Lunn 10.35am: PM reviews India trip amid fire emergency

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the fire risk across the nation will continue for months, and expects disaster payments to rise significantly as assessments of the damage are carried out in the wake of the fires sweeping through NSW and Victoria.

Mr Morrison also said he was reviewing his planned trip to India late next week, though at this stage his plan remained to go.

Speaking on 3AW radio, the Prime Minister said he was concerned about the risks posed by the short-term potential for some of the large fires around the NSW/Victorian border to link up, and was pleased the premiers in both states had declared emergency situations.

“These fires are catastrophic and the joining up of NSW and Vic fires represents a very great risk given the conditions we are expecting over the next few days,” Mr Morrison said.

He said while the immediate concern was protecting lives and property, there will be a need to assess the economic impact of the fires, and the disaster assistance required.

“There will be a lot of focus on the recovery effort once the fires are out,” he said. “But the payment mechanisms we have in place, and we’ve had about $25m in disaster payments paid to people across the country, the majority of that has been in NSW. I’m expecting that to rise quite significantly in Victoria as the damage assessments are undertaken.”

“(It will be) more than days, the fire risk is still there in the months, not the weeks ahead,” he said.

Mr Morrison is due to visit India for trade talks leaving Sunday week, a trip he said was under review.

“It’s still the plan. We are reviewing that at the moment. It is a very important meeting … and at the moment that plan is still in place but when you are dealing with these issues you have to consider the merits of these choices,” he said.

Rachel Baxendale 10.15am: NSW: Eighth person dead in NSW

NSW Police have confirmed an eighth person — including a volunteer firefighter — died as a result of the bushfires ravaging the south coast.

The 72-year-old man was missing on New Year’s Eve from Belowra, about 50 kilometres west of Cobargo.

Officers visited the site yesterday and confirmed that they found the body of the man who is yet to be formally identified.

In NSW police have set up ‘Strike Force Indarra’ to investigate the devastation of catastrophic bushfires on the south coast that killed eight people.

Police will investigate the deaths as well as destruction of property, livestock and the cause of the fires.

Rachel Baxendale 9.55am: Vic: ‘You must leave’

Mr Andrews said those who can leave the declared impact zone in north east Victoria and East Gippsland “must leave”.

The local government areas declared as a “state of disaster” include all or some of East Gippsland, Mansfield, Wellington, Wangaratta, Towong, and the Alpine shire, while the resorts are Mt Buller, Mr Hotham and Mt Stirling.

More information and a map of the declared impact zone is available on the Vic Emergency website here.

“In those declared areas, in those six local government areas and the alpine resorts, and particularly in the fire impact zone, if you can leave, you must leave,” Mr Andrews said.

“That’s the only safe thing for you, your family and, indeed, for others who may be called to your assistance.

“We cannot guarantee your safety.

“We all have a role to play: our fireys, our emergency services, they’re all playing their role.

“Now it is up to ordinary community members to play their part as well.

“If you can leave, you must leave, for your safety and the safety of others.”

At Mallacoota, the first of the passengers are directed to the landing boats. Picture: David Caird
At Mallacoota, the first of the passengers are directed to the landing boats. Picture: David Caird

Rachel Baxendale 9.45am: Vic: Two dead, 28 unaccounted for, evacuations begin

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed 28 people are now confirmed as unaccounted for in the state’s bushfires.

Another two people have been confirmed as deceased.

“I am saddened to have to update you that the total number of people who cannot be accounted for has now grown to 28,” Mr Andrews said.

“It remains the case that two people can be confirmed as having lost their lives.”

Buchan man Mick Roberts has been confirmed as one of the two, while the other male victim has not been named.

“I’m still not in a position to provide you with further information about the second of those deceased persons,” Mr Andrews said.

“As soon as we can give you more information about that individual, we will do that.

“But of course, we have grave fears for the safety and wellbeing of those 28 people who cannot be located.”

Mr Andrews said the numbers of those unaccounted for would “move around”, with some of the 17 people announced as missing on Thursday since located.

“There’s been some other people who we’ve not even been able to necessarily determine as being missing who have never made it onto a list, but have become known to family and friends only very recently, after a period of absence,” Mr Andrews said.

“These numbers will move around. That’s the nature of a very dynamic fire ground. But I can confirm today, as at 9:30, there are 28 people that we cannot locate, and we are very concerned about their wellbeing.”

The first of the Mallacoota evacuees aboard a Navy landing boats, headed for the ships. Picture: David Caird
The first of the Mallacoota evacuees aboard a Navy landing boats, headed for the ships. Picture: David Caird

Angelica Snowden 9.15am: NSW: ‘We can’t stop it’

Deputy Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service Rob Rogers said a fire front of 60 to 70km/h could return to southern NSW near Albury with tomorrow’s weather conditions at a press conference this morning.

“We can’t stop it,” he said.

“Tomorrow’s priority is preservation of life.”

Mr Rogers said that after tomorrow, there would not be another heat spike for a few days allowing firefighters to assess the damage done since New Year’s Eve.

The Deputy Commissioner also took the opportunity to remind people about the dangerous weather conditions due tomorrow and to act now rather than wait until tonight.

“I know people are fatigued,” he said. “But we need to stay focused.”

More than 140 fires are burning across NSW.

Traffic is still congested on roads towards Sydney and Canberra as thousands flee the south coast.

An evacuation alert has been issued for the Snowy Mountains area where two fires are burning out of control.

The acting minister for police and emergency services Anthony Roberts said allowances have been made for tankers to deliver more fuel to south coast petrol stations after delivering loads yesterday which have largely been exhausted.

9am: Over-run by firefront

As an ominous Saturday looms, footage has emerged of Blue Mountains firefighters overrun by a firefront: a stark reminder of what may be ahead again.

Blue Mountains firefighters overrun by fire front

Angelica Snowden 8.10am: Mallacoota evacuation set to begin

The Australian Defence Force has arrived at the wharf in Mallacoota this morning. The mass evacuation of the bushfire ravaged town is about to begin.

Buses were to ferry people from a relief centre in Mallacoota to the Navy’s HMAS Choules from 8am, a spokesman from the State Control Centre in Victoria said.

About 800 people are expected to be taken to the wharf to board the mercy ship where they will be taken to Western Port in Victoria.

There are up to 4000 who are stranded in Mallacoota this morning waiting to flee the fire ravaged area.

It is the first of several planned rescues by sea where priority is being given to the sick, elderly, women and children.

A state of disaster has been declared in six areas in Victoria and the Alpine Resorts.

It means is that emergency services will have special powers to force people to evacuate and takeover properties.

Two killed and 17 missing in Vic as State of Disaster is called

8am: PM ‘got welcome deserved’

Member for Bega Andrew Constance says the angry reception PM Scott Morrison encountered at Cobargo when confronted by furious fire victims was “probably the welcome he deserved”.

Speaking to Channel 7 about the abuse the PM received on his visit to the fire-ravaged South

Mr Constance was scathing in his assessment of the prime minister’s response to bushfires blazing across Australia, with NSW declaring a state of emergency. “I haven’t had a call from him so to be honest with you the locals probably gave him the welcome he deserved,” the Liberal MP said.

“I’d say this to the prime minister today: the nation wants you to open up the cheque books.

Mr Morrison was heckled in the streets of Cobargo — the town where father and son Robert and Patrick Salway lost their lives fighting bushfires earlier this week.

Mr Constance called on Mr Morrison to immediately provide money for victims to buy supplies.

“We’ve lost a lot of homes. A lot of businesses. I know people who have lost both,” he said.

“Having lived through this myself, it’s tough. You can’t experience this, it’s cruel, it’s nasty.

“The feeling is bloody raw and it’s bloody raw for a reason. I was here at Malua Bay the other day and it’s just hell on earth.”

On radio this morning, Mr Morrison said he understood frustration being directed at him from within fire-affected communities.

“People are angry and they’re upset. Whether they’re angry with me or with the situation, all I know is that they are hurting, and it’s my job to be there to offer some comfort and support. That’s my job, I don’t take these things personally.’

“I know people are angry. They will often fixate on whether it’s a PM or someone else and I understand the hurt, the anger and frustration. We’ll continue to use every resource and person we have to assist the situation and every Australian as we are able,” he said.

Angelica Snowden 7.50am: Princes Highway reopens

In NSW, a major section of the Princes Highway has reopened for those travelling north from Milton.

Traffic is heavy north of Lake Tabourie to Tomerong and motorists are advised to take extreme care when travelling.

A state of emergency has been declared in NSW starting at 9am for the third time in eight weeks.

NSW rural fire service spokeswoman Angela Burford told ABC radio that last night thousands of people were still evacuating the south coast area.

“People are paying attention to warnings and listening to emergency services.”

Three fires are at a watch and act level today and are the major concern for firefighters – including the Green Valley, Currowan and Duns Road fires.

Courtney Walsh 7.40am: Poor Canberra air forces tennis tournament move

The deteriorating air quality in Canberra has forced the relocation of an international tennis tournament that was to begin in the city on Monday. Read the full story here.

Jacquelin Magnay 7.15am: Fires make global headlines

Australia’s bushfire disasters and state of emergencies has become such a global concern images of thirsty koalas, fleeing kangaroos, distraught families and charred houses led the news bulletins across Europe and the United Kingdom on Thursday.

The angry reception given to the Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Cobargo by furious fire victims was even the splash item through the day on websites from the UK’s Guardian to the German publication Deutsche Welle. Read the full story here

Additional reporting: David Ross, AAP

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/bushfire-emergency-defence-forces-land-at-mallacoota-wharf-to-begin-evacuation/news-story/a16f8c64f96da48d09e4ad66cd361010