Bushfire emergency: Masks shipped as thick orange smoke shuts down Canberra
Businesses and national institutions across Canberra were forced to close their doors today as 100,000 P2 masks were shipped to the nation’s smoky capital.
- Smoke shuts down nation’s capital
- Defence in fire fight for ‘long haul’
- Fire recovery agency established
- PM’s office apologised to fire chief
- Milder conditions on the way
- ‘Hundreds’ of homes lost
- Man dies in Batlow
- Queen’s message
- Hunt for bushfire culprit
- Properties lost in NSW
Australia’s defence chief says the ADF will be on hand for the long hail as the Prime Minister announces a new bushfire recovery agency. Follow the latest below.
Adeshola Ore 10.01pm: Everything we know so far
In NSW, the RFS has confirmed 60 homes have been lost. There are 146 bushfires burning across the state, with 65 uncontained. Eight remain at a ‘watch and act’ level.
The death toll from the NSW bushfires stands at 18.
A man who died of a heart attack while battling a blaze south-west of Canberra has become the ninth person killed since Monday.
More than four million hectares of land have been burnt in NSW.
In Victoria, Daniel Andrews has confirmed four Victorians are still unaccounted for in impacted areas across the state.
Emergency services have warned residents of affected areas to stay alert, despite welcoming cooler conditions.
A million hectares have burnt in Victoria, with 80,000 in East Gippsland alone. 31 fires remain burning across the state.
In South Australia, there is a total fire ban in Kangaroo Island. A third of the island, 170,000 hectares, has been burnt.
Two people have been killed in Victoria and two people in South Australia this bushfire season.
The national death toll is 22.
Adeshola Ore 8.15pm: Recycling centre damaged, reports of more NSW homes lost
A bushfire has damaged a recycling centre in Moss Vale, in the NSW Southern Highlands, after the blaze jumped a major river.
The Morton fire, a new front of a fireground stretching from Batemans Bay to the Southern Highlands, jumped to the Shoalhaven River on Saturday evening.
Local mayor Duncan Gair said there were unconfirmed reports that houses and structures had been lost at Wingello and more at Bundanoon and Penrose.
Olivia Caisley 7.30pm: Smoke shuts down nation’s capital
Businesses and national institutions across Canberra were forced to close their doors on Sunday as the nation’s capital woke to thick orange smoke that is expected to linger for days.
The haze blanketing the city’s streets crept into buildings and set-off smoke alarms, with the capital recording some of the worst air quality in the world.
The air quality index at Civic in the city’s centre measured 2843 at midday on Sunday, coming in worse than Sarajevo in Bosnia Herzegovina, Lahore in Pakistan and Delhi in India.
A reading of 200 is considered hazardous.
The National Gallery of Australia, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Film and Sound Archives, the High Court and Questacon shut their doors to protect the public and staff.
Several pools including Canberra Olympic Pool were unable to open and some shops at the airconditioned Canberra Centre shopping mall were forced to close due to the poor air quality.
Relief from the choking air and hazardous conditions is not expected until at least Tuesday.
Senior Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Jordan Notara said the smoke had rolled in from multiple blazes raging to the east and west of the territory.
Canberra Business Chamber CEO Michael Schaper told The Australian that while it was too early to quantify the economic cost of the smoke cloaking the capital, he expected the closures to have a significant impact on local businesses.
“It’s a significant whammy,” he said. “And not just for seasonal businesses such as
pools, ice cream vendors and outdoor entertainment, which really rely on a short concentrated period for their income.”
Australian Medical Association ACT president Antonio Di Dio said he was deeply concerned by the smoke and had seen an increase in patients with respiratory conditions in the lead up to Christmas.
“It’s absolutely extraordinary and very intimidating but commonsense is key,” Dr Di Dio said. “In these situations it’s about not exposing yourself to things unless you absolutely have to. It’s most sensible to stay at home.”
Qantas was pulled the plug on all flights in and out of Canberra on Sunday evening.
Sporting teams were also affected by the bushfire smoke, with the ACT Brumbies deciding to relocate their entire squad to Newcastle.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the federal government had made 100,000 P2 masks available to vulnerable people in the territory.
7.24pm: Video shows road strewn with animals
A heartbreaking video has been posted to Twitter showing the scene in Batlow, on the NSW south coast, after fire razed the town.
The main road is shown strewn with power lines, fallen trees and dead animals.
WARNING: Graphic.
The road out of Batlow is strewn with fallen trees, downed power lines and so many dead animals 💔 pic.twitter.com/8Z4st4xW0p
— Lucy Hughes Jones (@LucyHughesJones) January 5, 2020
Adeshola Ore 6.23pm: Another 60 homes confirmed lost
The RFS has confirmed 60 homes have been lost in NSW bushfires but expects the number to rise.
Speaking to the ABC, RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said the emergency services needed to access the impacted areas to survey the damage.
“There is an enormous amount of fire in that part of the world and these aren’t going to go out for some time and we have been dealing with these fires non-stop now for more than five months and I can’t see that changing, certainly over the next month.”
“We know there is a significant damage to infrastructure in the Snowy area and we also know that there are communities like Batlow that have been extremely hard-hit”.
He said more than 60km of backburning will be conducted in the Blue Mountains ahead of another difficult day expected for Friday.
Adeshola Ore 6.00pm: P2 masks sent to the ACT
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has said the federal government will send 100,000 P2 masks to the territory for vulnerable people.
National stockpiles of particulate-filter masks will also be access for authorities battling bushfires in Victoria and NSW.
The smoke shrouding the nation’s capital has caused shops and public facilities to close.
All Qantas flights out of Canberra were cancelled on Sunday, but other airlines are still operating.
Annabel Hennessy 5.30pm: PM visits HMAS Albatross base
Prime Minister Scott Morrison visited the HMAS Albatross base in NSW’s South Coast this
afternoon where he met with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons and local RFS and Air Force members fighting the fires.
Mr Morrison was flanked by Major General Justin Ellwood who is leading the Defence response to the fires.
Mr Morrison said it had been a good opportunity to discuss with the Premier and Commissioner Fitzsimmons yesterday’s announcement that 3000 army reservists had been called up to help fight the fires.
“It’s been a good opportunity for the Commissioner, and the Premier and I to talk about the announcement that was made yesterday...(and to) ensure we’re getting close communication,” the PM said.
When asked whether he had apologised to Commissioner, who had criticised Mr Morrison for not personally informing him that the reservists were being deployed, Mr Morrison said: “We’ve had that discussion.”
“We’ve been working closely over many months...it’s been a good opportunity today for the Major General and Commissioner actually just to talk through the arrangements that have been put in place today,” Mr Morrison said.
“This is the largest single collaboration ever of Defence Force reservists working together with a full time Defence Force to provide a support which this country has never seen before,” Mr Morrison said.
Premier Berejiklian said she was grateful for the additional Defence support.
“We’re grateful for the support we received today, and we look forward to this ongoing closeness in the relationship,” she said.
She said “I think we’ve covered those issues” when asked if she agreed with Commissioner Fitzsimmons’ criticisms of the communication from the PM.
When asked what his message was to world leaders watching the catastrophe, Mr Morrison said it was simply “thank you very much for your support.”
4.30pm: Defence in fire fight for the ‘long haul’
Australia’s defence chief says they’re in for the long haul as the defence force rolls out an unprecedented response to the bushfire crisis.
General Angus Campbell says the compulsory call out of 3000 Australian Defence Force reservists to help with national disaster recovery had never happened before.
“We’re in for the long haul and also very aware of the immediate need to assist fellow Australians today,” Mr Campbell told media in Canberra on Sunday. “The work of the ADF is and will continue to be in compliment and close co-ordination with state authorities.”
Operation Bushfire Assist will see thousands of service personnel and reservists deployed in bushfire affect areas across the country.
Australia’s largest navy ship, HMAS Adelaide, is playing a leading role in the nation’s bushfire support effort, stationed off the NSW far south coast. Acting as a supply vessel and also offering a floating hospital, the Adelaide on Sunday reached waters off Eden where it is expected to be based for several days.
The HMAS Choules and MV Sycamore were returning to Mallacoota, from where they had previously ferried more than 1100 people.
There were 400 troops on the Adelaide, as well as 300 tonnes of emergency supplies.
Defence bases from Brisbane to Adelaide have been opened up for bushfire affected Australians, with Mr Campbell confirming some people had already taken up this offer.
Earlier, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters in Canberra the “unprecedented” roll out of defence forces was a statement about the scale of the bushfire crisis.
“That step was taken as a consequence of the sheer scale that has moved beyond what is the reasonable expectation of any agency or state or territory authority,” he said.
The Prime Minister also defended the government’s response time in deploying the ADF, pointing to the serving personnel already assisting with the bushfire effort.
The head of the joint bushfire taskforce, Lieutenant General Greg Bilton, said defence had been in contact with counterparts in New Zealand, Singapore and Papua New Guinea to source more support, like helicopters.
AAP
4.15pm: G-G visits East Gippsland
Governor-General David Hurley has visited relief centres in Victoria’s fire- ravaged east.
Australia’s representative to the Queen toured a relief centre at Bairnsdale and a community centre in nearby Lucknow to speak to those affected by the bushfires.
“It’s people coming to adjust to where they are at and the situation they find themselves in,” Mr Hurley told reporters on Sunday.
The Governor-General and his wife Lisa spoke to volunteers at Lucknow Memorial Hall, who have been inundated with donations to help those affected. People he had spoken to raised several concerns.
“Is it climate change? Is it our land management process? Do we have the right resources? These are all of the big issues,” he said of questions being asked by the community.
Greg Brown 3.55pm: Eden fire downgraded
The fire threatening Eden been downgraded from “emergency” to “watch and act” as drops of rainfall on the town in the NSW south coast.
The cooler weather has prompted some locals to leave the safety of tugboats on the wharf to go to their homes.
Rachel Baxendale 3.16pm: Andrews cancels Tallangatta visit
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Victoria Police chief commissioner Graham Ashton have cancelled a planned trip to Tallangatta in Victoria’s fire-ravaged north east, citing smoke which has prevented them landing in the town.
This was despite Mr Andrews tweeting from Wangaratta — an hour and fifteen minutes’ drive via open roads from Tallangatta — 20 minutes before he was due in Tallangatta.
The Premier’s office has been asked why he intended to fly, rather than drive, to Tallangatta.
“Never seen my hometown quite like this,” Mr Andrews said.
“This was heading into Wangaratta to thank our response teams for their incredible efforts over the past few days.
“It’s still very dry and windy up here – please listen to the advice from Vic Emergency and stay safe.”
Never seen my hometown quite like this.
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) January 5, 2020
This was heading into Wangaratta to thank our response teams for their incredible efforts over the past few days.
It's still very dry and windy up here – please listen to the advice from @vicemergency and stay safe. pic.twitter.com/FQmj8VWtHe
Media were notified more than 20 minutes after the scheduled press conference that it was cancelled and the Premier and Chief Commissioner were headed back to Melbourne.
Greg Brown 2.56pm: Eden under threat
Locals have evacuated the wharf at Eden amid warnings the south coast town is in danger of being hit by bushfire.
The Snug Cove wharf was declared part of the Eden’s evacuation zone on Saturday but by Sunday morning locals were told to leave the town all together, with an out-of-control fire raging 20km to its southwest.
A bus escorted people of town to nearby evacuation centres in Merimbula and Bega. Police and firefighters told people on the wharf they should leave and it was dangerous.
The fire threatening the town destroyed at least four homes in Wonboyn on Saturday night, while locals say Eden’s woodchip mill, across the bay from the wharf, was burnt in the blaze.
Locals say the Wood Chip Mill is the largest employer in Eden, supporting hundreds of jobs directly or indirectly.
Tugboat captain Michael Mutch said he made two journeys across Twofold Bay to save firefighters and workers who were battling blazes at the woodchip mill.
Mr Mutch said he made his first journey from Snug Cove at 9.30 on Saturday night, before getting another request at 3.30am on Sunday.
Police also helped get people off the wharf near woodchip mill.
“They were there to try and fight and stop the fire but by that stage they had given up,” Mr Mutch said.
“(We escorted) three firefighters and two wood chip employees. The police brought back 10 other guys I don’t know who they were.
“We could see a lot of flames there and I was so busy trying to drive the boat I didn’t have time to talk to the guys.
“They were pretty happy to get back.
“It was dreadful, there was no visibility whatsoever.”
Mr Mutch is among the few locals left on the wharf in a tugboat and will remain there with his wife Eva.
The area, like much of the south coast, has been choking in heavy smoke since Saturday afternoon.
Sydney woman Greta Stojanovic has created a makeshift evacuation centre on her parents’ Wharfside Cafe.
Ms Stojanovic, 35, used Facebook to invite stranded people to the cafe yesterday afternoon and has served hundreds of people coffee, food and a “shot of whisky of their choice”.
She only asks for a donation that will be given to the RFS.
She said she has made about 500 coffees since Saturday.
“I am the only one from the cafe and I sort of kicked into gear and thought: these people are going to be hungry and need coffee,” Ms Stojanovic said.
“Once you open it up they just keep queuing and it just doesn’t stop.
“We had people who had come from the Fisherman’s Club, which is the other (official) evacuation centre and they said they were getting much more information from here because … we had the news on and regular updates.”
There were just half a dozen people remaining at the cafe at 2.30pm on Sunday, with the town largely deserted.
Longtime resident Ross Chester, who used to manage a local supermarket, described the situation as “devastating”.
“Our turnover in the supermarket used to triple in January,” Mr Chester said.
“It is very devastating economically and everything.”
2.48pm: Motorway closed in southwest Sydney
A section of the M5 motorway southwest of Sydney is closed as an out-of-control fire burns at Voyager Point.
RFS and Fire and Rescue tankers are attending the blaze, with a watch and act alert issued.
The M5 is closed between Henry Lawson Drive and Heathcote Rd.
Rachel Baxendale 2.18pm: Bushfire nightmare repeating for Merriang local
Merriang woman Cara Hinton and her partner Anthony Bell, both 48, have evacuated from their property north west of Mt Buffalo at Merriang, in Victoria’s north east, prompting memories for Ms Hinton of losing her childhood home at Mt Macedon in the Ash Wednesday fires of 1983, and her business and property at Rosewhite in the deadly 2009 Black Saturday bushfires.
The pair and Ms Hinton’s daughter, Hayley Hinton, are staying at the Wangaratta saleyards with 10 horses and 10 dogs.
Residents of Buffalo Creek, Buffalo River, Carboor, Carboor East, Carboor Upper, Dandongadale, Merriang South, Mount Buffalo, Nug Nug, Rose River and Whorouly South were told it was too late to leave on Sunday morning as the Abbeyard fire threatened them, with reports of embers falling in the Dandongadale area.
Ms Hinton said she was “pretty worried” about losing her house.
“I’ve been through two previous bushfires: Black Saturday we lost our business at Rosewhite, and our property, and also I’m an Ash Wednesday kid who got everything burnt out at Mt Macedon,” she said.
“This is a pretty big thing for me, bushfires. Our priority is always to be safe.
“Houses and stuff, while you don’t want to lose them, they’re replaceable. People aren’t, and horses aren’t.”
Among the ten horses is Hayley Hinton’s horse Tangles, on which she won the 2019 Mountain Cattleman’s Cup.
“We’ve got to be prepared to be here at least a couple more days. We’ve got enough feed now for the horses for a couple more days,” Cara Hinton said.
“Hayley said when she came before that they’ve pulled the firefighters out because it’s just got that out-of-control.”
Rachel Baxendale 2.05pm: Smoke haze prompts emergency calls in NZ
New Zealand police have asked people in that country to stop ringing the equivalent of triple-0 to report the orange haze in the sky caused by Australia’s bushfires.
“We are currently receiving high numbers of calls related to this,” NZ police said in a statement.
Police said that while they appreciated the smoke conditions may be causing concern, the 111 was for urgent emergency situations.
1.55pm: Historic hut protected
Absolutely OUTSTANDING work today by @fallsaustralia (Falls Creek) Fire Brigade, preparing iconic emergency shelter Wallace's Hut against fire. Stopped there on my trek about 3 weeks ago. Wonderful spot. pic.twitter.com/0ZAoQZ3n60
— Anthony Sharwood â„ï¸ (@antsharwood) January 4, 2020
Rachel Baxendale 1.35pm: Mayor welcomes support from reserves
Wangaratta mayor Dean Rees welcomed Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s decision to deploy army reservists to help with the bushfire effort, despite criticism today from NSW RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons, who said he had been “disappointed” to learn of the decision through the media.
“Every little bit will help,” Mr Rees said.
“So one extra person, one extra firefighter, one person to get people out.
“I see up at Omeo (in Gippsland) they’re blocked off, they still haven’t evacuated the hospital or the retirement home up there, so to have them available to help out, I just don’t think you can get enough help.
“I feel for the Prime Minister that he’ll be canned if he does and canned if he doesn’t, so I feel for him that way.
“Here he is trying to make and effort to try and make sure that every available resource is available and here on the ground, rather than acting in three days time when the place is already burnt and we lose more lives, so I think he’s doing the right thing.”
Mr Rees said the fires were also having a significant impact on businesses who had been forced to close their doors.
“This is their busiest time of year, so probably 30 per cent of their income for the whole year comes over Christmas.
“There’s 15,000 visitors that have gotten out of Bright and Myrtleford, all those areas, Harrietville, Wandiligong, so for the next 12 months in their business it’s going to be tough.
“Some will go bum up, because this time will just affect them, and it’s not going to affect them just now: over the next month or two there’ll be no one coming back, because the holiday season’s over.
“It’s the ongoing effects that are going to hurt, not just right here at the minute, which is huge.”
Mr Rees said he was “extremely” worried that the fire crisis could continue for weeks, and was thankful for the efforts of an army of volunteers who were in for the long haul.
“Even our volunteers who have been here 24 hours a day, we’ve got council staff here and we’ve had to force them to go home because they just won’t go,” he said.
“We have to applaud our Lion’s Club. They haven’t even come to us for money, for food, they’re just raising it.
“Just listening to the TV this morning and the bushfire appeal, the amount of money that they’re raising online and other bits and pieces is amazing, for us.
“I just drove in here now, and a butcher from Melbourne rang me and said, ‘Dean, I’ve been put onto you. I’ve got two big spits, I’ll come up, you tell me where to go, I’ll come up, we’ll put a cook on for fireys, for volunteers, for the people that are around at their homes, just this crazy amount of support from people who probably have never even been to these areas, and here they are wanting to help out. It’s just amazing.”
Rachel Baxendale 1.30pm: Evacuees’ night at the showgrounds
About 200 bushfire evacuees and their animals have spent Saturday night at the Wangaratta Showgrounds, with an extra 100 or more expected to arrive on Sunday including many from communities west of Mt Buffalo, where an emergency warning was issued on Sunday morning.
Residents of Buffalo Creek, Buffalo River, Carboor, Carboor East, Carboor Upper, Dandongadale, Merriang South, Mount Buffalo, Nug Nug, Rose River and Whorouly South were told it was too late to leave on Sunday morning as the Abbeyard fire threatened them, with reports of embers falling in the Dandongadale area.
Another 40 people slept on the floor at the Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre, while hundreds of others stayed with family and friends.
About 100 horses have been evacuated to the Wangaratta Saleyards, with more on their way.
While cooler weather and temperatures in the high teens and low 20s are helping firefighters, yesterday’s hot weather and wind change, and strong, gusty winds overnight have seen threats to communities to the north of the Abbeyard fire complex increase.
Wangaratta mayor Dean Rees said his council colleague, director of corporate services Sarah Brindley, had evacuated with her husband Rupert Shaw from their Buckland Valley property and the pair were staying at his house in Wangaratta.
The Buckland Valley is under threat from fires burning on the other side of Mt Buffalo, with an “evacuate now” warning issued for Freeburgh, Harrietville, Smoko and Wandiligong.
Mr Shaw runs the Bright Brewery – one of the largest businesses in the town.
“I was glad to be able to give them somewhere to stay,” Mr Rees said.
He said his fellow councillor, Harry Bussell, was preparing to defend his property at Carboor.
“I just spoke to him on the phone,” Mr Rees said.
“He’s at his farm. His wife is in town here with their kids. He’s got one kid away overseas on a trek.
“He’s going to fight, because this is coming down from the Mt Buffalo fire, and it’s kind of jumped the Buffalo River, and it’s heading that way.
“This temperature and weather will hopefully slow it up. The wind’s been bad though.”
Yoni Bashan 1.16pm: Estimated losses rise
The Insurance Council of Australia said insurance claims have increased over the weekend as a result of further fire damage and communications being restored to communities without power.
An additional six hundred claims have been lodged since Friday afternoon, a rise of 10.6 per cent — from 5259 claims to 5850 claims since November 8.
Estimated losses have also risen, from $321 million to $375 million, a number almost certain to rise in the coming days.
An ICA spokeswoman said assessors were still attempting to access fire-affected areas, but these efforts had been hampered due to safety concerns.
As of Friday, the vast majority of claims – 87 per cent – had come from NSW. A further six per cent had come from South Australia, four per cent from Victoria, and three per cent from Queensland.
Wally Mason 1.10pm: Brumbies head north
The ACT Brumbies will relocate their entire squad to Newcastle as thick bushfire smoke envelopes their training facility in Canberra.
The facilities at the University of Canberra have been closed and the Australian Institute of Sport, which also operates at the university, has also shut down activities.
Smoke has hung over Canberra for the past week prompting warnings about outdoor activity. The Canberra Cavalry baseball team, the WNBL and W-League teams the Canberra Capitals and Canberra United and Tennis ACT have all cancelled major events because of the smoke and the health risks for athletes.
The Brumbies says they will monitor air quality on a daily basis ahead of a planned trial match in Albury on January 23 and the first Super Rugby home game against the Queensland Reds on January 31.
Organisers of Cricket’s Big Bash League are also watching the Canberra air quality ahead of a Sydney Thunder game against the Hobart Hurricanes on January 15.
Olivia Caisley 1.00pm: Fire royal commission flagged
Scott Morrison hasn’t ruled out calling a royal commission into the circumstances leading up to the unprecedented bushfire crisis, but will first consult with the states and territories.
Delivering an update on the bushfire emergency in Canberra on Sunday, the Prime Minister said there was a general understanding that after any natural disaster it was important to thoroughly assess contributing factors to see where improvements can be made.
“It is something I would consider in concert with states and territories. These are matters that we are assessing right now but right now the message I have from state premiers and from fire commissioners is, we are fighting the fire right now.
“There is a broad agreement about the need after any natural disaster for there to be a thorough and proper review from the contributing factors and the response and improvement that can be made and it has been that process in the past that has led to so many improvements as we have dealt with this current catastrophic season.”
Rebecca Urban 12.32pm: Vic Commissioner not ‘formally notified’
Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp has revealed that he was not “formally notified” about the federal government’s decision to deploy reservists to assist with fires.
Victoria will remain in a “state of disaster” for at least several days, according to Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville.
There are 48 fires continuing to burn across the state, threatening several towns in the Alpine and East Gippsland areas, and authorities are concerned that temperatures are expected to spike later this week.
Ms Neville said there were 18 communities that were isolated, with people unable to leave, and operations to open closed roads would take some time.
Police and the defence force was seeking to get in to those areas on Sunday, providing communications and assisting people to get out, she said.
Soldiers have helped evacuate residents in Omeo, Victoria. Residents were loaded onto helicopters at the town’s showground.
The last evacuees are being flown out of Malacoota, after heavy fog lifted this morning. Over 300 people are expected to be taken via army helicopters to Sale.
“I know this is taking a toll … just be assured we are doing everything we can,” she said.
Seven Victorians remain unaccounted for remain unaccounted for. Mr Crisp said property losses, not yet quantified, would be “significant”.
Olivia Caisley 12.30pm: Video ‘informing the community directly’: PM
Scott Morrison has defended a video spruiking the government’s bushfire response, declaring he authorised and posted the promotional clip to “inform the community about what the commonwealth government is doing.”
Speaking in Canberra on Sunday the Prime Minister said he stood by the video because it was important he communicated directly with the Australian public
“As much as we would all like to only rely on the reporting of the media to get this information out, I would also seek to carry that message directly to the Australian people to ensure they are aware of what we are doing,” he said.
Mr Morrison courted controversy on social media over the 50-second clip, which is set to upbeat music and features videos of Mr Morrison visiting fire-ravaged areas, after it was uploaded to Twitter on Saturday.
The video, which details the government’s response and ends with the Liberal party’s disclaimer “authorised by S Morrison, Liberal Party, Canberra”, had ratcheted up more than 1.6 million views by Sunday morning. .
We’re putting more Defence Force boots on the ground, more planes in the sky, more ships to sea, and more trucks to roll in to support the bushfire fighting effort and recovery as part of our co-ordinated response to these terrible #bushfires pic.twitter.com/UiOeYB2jnv
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) January 4, 2020
But Mr Morrison defended the authorisation at the end of the video, saying it was a requirement of Australian law.
“That is a requirement of Australian law. It is not something that I can post on my social media page without carrying that authorisation,” he said. “That does not mean it is a political message in any way, shape or form. It is just complying with Australian law.”
Several current and former Labor MPs, including former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, seized on the video to attack the Morrison government’s bushfire response.
“On a day we have catastrophic fire conditions, in the midst of a genuine national crisis, Morrison, the marketing guy, does what? He releases a Liberal Party ad! He is no longer fit to hold the high office of prime minister,” Mr Rudd tweeted.
The video was rolled out hours after Mr Morrison and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds announced the unprecedented deployment of 3000 army reservists across the nation’s fire grounds.
Olivia Caisley 12.13pm: ‘Breakdown in communications’
Scott Morrison has defended his handling of the bushfire crisis after NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons expressed his “disappointment and frustration” at not being warned of the government’s plans to deploy up to 3000 army reservists.
Speaking in Canberra on Sunday Mr Morrison blamed the oversight on a “breakdown in communications” at the defence liaison level within the NSW Rural Fire Service headquarters and stressed the strong working relationship he shares with the state and territory agencies.
“I want to stress the decisions we took yesterday and enacted yesterday were all about the scale of this crisis,” Mr Morrison said. “It is in no way a statement on the performance of the state and territory agencies. I have been consistently complimentary and remain absolute complimentary of their extraordinary work and without their work, without planning, without the preparations, I fear what has really been a terrible tragedy which have been far worse.
“There was a breakdown in communications at the defence liaison level with the headquarters yesterday … we communicated the decision soon as it had been made.”
Mr Morrison said the decision to deploy up to 3000 Army reservists and the HMAS Adelaide was made at a National Security Committee of cabinet in Canberra on Saturday and state and territory leaders were notified shortly after.
He thanked the fire commissioners for their extraordinary work in integrating and co-ordinating with each other and with the Commonwealth.
Olivia Caisley 11.56am: Reynolds took Bali holiday over Christmas
Defence Minister Linda Reynolds has confirmed she travelled to Bali with her family over Christmas in the midst of the national bushfire crisis.
Speaking at a press conference in Canberra on Sunday Ms Reynolds said she had spent a few days in Indonesia.
“Like many of my colleagues I have certainly spent time with my family over Christmas, but throughout that time I can assure you that I have been regularly on the phone with the Prime Minister, with Minister Littleproud.”
When pressed again whether she was in Bali, Ms Reynolds said: “Yes I was.”
It comes as Scott Morrison has come under increasing pressure over his leadership on the bushfires, which began when he took a family holiday to Hawaii before Christmas.
Olivia Caisley 11.38am: Fire recovery agency established
Scott Morrison has announced former Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin will lead a new National Bushfire Recovery Agency, which will focus on delivering income support, rebuilding infrastructure and providing mental health support.
Speaking in Canberra on Sunday the Prime Minister said the agency, which will report to Emergency Services Minister David Littleproud, will be active for at least two years and will model its operations closely on the response provided to the North Queensland floods.
Mr Morrison said the agency would help roll out payments to affected communities and help with the recovery efforts.
“Fences need to be rebuilt and carcasses of animals to be removed who have been caught in these fires, and that is a fairly grizzly operation but that needs to be done and it needs to be done as soon as possible,” Mr Morrison said.
“So that agency, which will report to Minister Littleproud, established within Prime Minister and Cabinet will work within government and will include co-ordinating mental health support in particular areas.
“It’s important we are addressing the mental health needs as well as the many other health needs that will need to be addressed.
“This organisation will be stood up for at least two years and we will be able to talk more about its funding arrangements in the not-too-distant future after Cabinet considers the formal proposals.”
Olivia Caisley 11.22pm: PM’s presser begins
Scott Morrison is speaking at a press conference in Canberra, where he is providing an update on the bushfire crisis.
“The weather conditions have improved in New South Wales and Victoria but there are still many fires raging and there’s a significant firefighting effort continuing,” he says. “The better conditions today will obviously assist, but it’s important to stress, as I’ve been advised, that the nature of those fires is still very strong and it will take some time and that will require a considerable amount of effort and we absolutely understand that is where the primary focus is, especially with the fire commissioners addressing that very urgent task.”
Olivia Caisley 11.10am: Kidman donates $500k
Nicole Kidman has joined a list of celebrities donating to the Australian bushfire crisis, pledging $500,000 to the Rural Fire Service.
“Our family’s support, thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the fires all over Australia,” she wrote on Instagram. “We are donating $500,000 to the Rural Fire Services who are all doing and giving so much right now.”
Rosie Lewis 10.10am: Premier’s call on communicating message: Defence Minister
Defence Minister Linda Reynolds says it was up to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian as to how she communicated the federal government’s decision to deploy 3000 reservists, as she defended Scott Morrison for not consulting NSW fire chief Shane Fitzsimmons.
“The Prime Minister, as is absolutely normal, will let the state leaders know and it is entirely a matter for the state authorities of how they communicate that through their own bureaucracy and their own emergency management processes,” Senator Reynolds told ABC TV.
“I do acknowledge yesterday that we could have, defence could have worked a little quicker to push the information out. We acknowledged that yesterday. We put measures in place to make sure that our defence chain of command have that information available as soon as possible.
“I would say in relation to the Commissioner of NSW, that that information was passed to the Premier. That information was communicated to the state authorities.”
A frustrated Mr Fitzsimmons, the NSW Rural Fire Services Commissioner, has revealed neither he nor the commonwealth liaison officers embedded within his organisation were aware of the government’s major announcement responding to the bushfire crisis on Saturday.
He learned of the deployment through the media and said it took some time to find out more information.
Olivia Caisley 9.44am: Rudd: Morrison ‘no longer fit to be PM’
Kevin Rudd has launched a blistering attack on Scott Morrison, declaring he is unfit to occupy the nation’s highest office after the Prime Minister released a promotional video spruiking the government’s response to the bushfire crisis.
The 50-second clip, which features videos of Mr Morrison visiting fire-ravaged areas, was uploaded to Twitter on Saturday as catastrophic conditions hit large swathes of NSW and Victoria.
The video, which details the government’s response and ends with the Liberal party’s disclaimer “authorised by S Morrison, Liberal Party, Canberra”, sparked a furore on social media having ratcheted up more than 1.6 million views.
We’re putting more Defence Force boots on the ground, more planes in the sky, more ships to sea, and more trucks to roll in to support the bushfire fighting effort and recovery as part of our co-ordinated response to these terrible #bushfires pic.twitter.com/UiOeYB2jnv
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) January 4, 2020
It was rolled-out hours after Mr Morrison and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds announced the unprecedented deployment of 3000 army reservists across the nation’s fire grounds.
The deployment courted controversy on Sunday after NSW Rural Fire Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons revealed he was “disappointed” to have learned the government planned to roll out additional resources via media reports.
Several current and former Labor MPs, including former Prime Minister Mr Rudd, seized on the video to attack the Morrison government’s bushfire response.
“On a day we have catastrophic fire conditions, in the midst of a genuine national crisis, Morrison, the marketing guy, does what? He releases a Liberal Party ad! He is no longer fit to hold the high office of prime minister,” Mr Rudd tweeted.
For God’s sake! On a day we have catastrophic fire conditions, in the midst of a genuine national crisis, Morrison, the marketing guy, does what? He releases a Liberal Party ad! He is no longer fit to hold the high office of prime minister. https://t.co/1OZqEZalOa
— Kevin Rudd (@MrKRudd) January 4, 2020
Former Victorian premier Steve Bracks claimed it was “hard to go much lower”.
Wow. It is hard to go much lower than advertisements spruiking the Federal Governments response in the middle of the Nations bushfire crisis.
— Steve Bracks (@BracksSteve) January 4, 2020
The Australian Defence Force Association, a nonpartisan public interest watchdog, also weighed in, lashing the “cliche ridden” advertisement for breaching rules around political advertising.
“1) Party-political advertising milking ADF support to civil agencies fighting bushfires is a clear breach of the (reciprocal) non-partisanship convention applying to both the ADF & Ministers/MPs,” it tweeted. “2) Also cliche-ridden. 3) It’s ‘defence force’, not ‘Defence Force’.”
But Mr Morrison defended the advertisement as simply communicating the government’s policy decisions.
“The video message simply communicates the Government’s policy decisions and the actions the Government is undertaking to the public,” he wrote in a subsequent tweet posted late on Saturday night.
It is a legal requirement in Australia to include an authorisation on all video messages used on social media by Australian MPs. The video message simply communicates the Government’s policy decisions and the actions the Government is undertaking to the public.
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) January 4, 2020
9.36am: Stars unite for RFS donations
Australian comedian Celeste Barber is closing in on raising $18 million in donations for the RFS.
Barber was joined by US singer Pink, who has donated $500,000. Rebecca Judd has donated $50,000, while Nick Kyrgios has pledged $200 per ace, donating $4000 in just his first ATP Cup outing alone.
9.27am: National Gallery closed
Statement from the National Gallery of Australia this morning: “Due to deteriorating air quality in the Canberra area, the National Gallery of Australia will be closed today. Closing our doors allows us to mitigate any risk to the public, staff and works of art on display.â€
— Ashleigh Wilson (@ashleighbwilson) January 4, 2020
Olivia Caisley 9.10am: Australia in ‘uncharted territory’
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has warned the nation is in “uncharted territory” when it comes to the bushfire crisis, declaring she isn’t surprised other countries are also concerned.
“It’s the concurrence of events. Normally you have one or two big fires to worry. We have several of them at the one time, several townships who never ever experienced a threat of bushfire were at threat of being completely wiped out,” Ms Berejiklian said on Sunday.
“It’s not something we have experienced before. The weather activity we’re seeing, the extent and spread of the fires, the speed, the way they attacking communities that have never seen fire is unprecedented.
“We have to accept that. I’m not surprised that nations outside Australia are looking at that as well.”
Olivia Caisley 9.06am: PM’s office apologised to fire chief
NSW Rural Fire Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons has confirmed he received an apology after he wasn’t warned of the Morrison government’s decision to deploy 3000 army reservists.
Mr Fitzsimmons said the Prime Minister’s Office had “apologised in hindsight” and they were now “working together to make the best out of this announcement”.
“I was disappointed and frustrated in the middle of one of our worst days with massive dislocation and movement of people, I had my conversations with the Prime Minister’s office,” Mr Fitzsimmons said on Sunday. “It was an amicable conversation. They apologised in hindsight. We’re all working together now to make the best out of this announcement.
“Like we have done, to ensure our highest priority and focus is on the communities of New South Wales, that continue to be so terribly affected by the enormity of this bushfire challenge.”
A spokesman for Mr Morrison told The Australian NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian had been notified of the deployment of army reservists before the announcement was made on Saturday.
At a press conference on Saturday Mr Morrison said he spoke to Ms Berejiklian, as well as other affected state premiers, “all of whom welcomed the initiative”.
Adrian McMurray 8.32am: Milder conditions on the way
There are 150 fires currently burning in NSW, the state’s RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons says, with two at an emergency level and nine at watch and act level.
While it won’t extinguish fires, authorities are expecting milder conditions in the coming weeks.
“We’re expecting some shower activity, light shower activity, down the south coast area, across some of these fire grounds,” Mr Fitzsimmons says.
“Not across the high country, but on the coastal strip, we’re expecting to see some reprieve. It will be a psychological reprevious for many, but not the relief we’re looking for the terms of putting these fires out.”
Saturday was the second-busiest day of the season with regards to concurrent fires at an emergency level, “second only to what we saw a couple of months ago, where 17 concurrent fires were burning,” he says.
Mr Fitzsimmons ends with a warning.
“The last thing we can afford is for people to become complacent,” he says.
“As the Premier indicated, (there are) two emergency warnings, nine at watch and act, it’s indicative of volatile, dynamic, changing fire grounds and people need to remain alert, be ready to act in accordance with their plan.”
Adrian McMurray 8.25am: ‘Hundreds’ of properties lost
Mr Fitzsimmons says Saturday was an “awful day”, with property losses likely in the hundreds from just the blazes yesterday.
“It was a very difficult day,” he told reporters at RFS headquarters on Sunday morning.
“We are getting reports that the property losses, the damage and destruction, is likely to be numbering in the hundreds as a result of yesterday’s fire activity and fire spread.
“We’re talking a considerable number, a considerable impact.”
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian adds that no one is unaccounted for, which is “the best news we could have hoped for” after yesterday’s terrible conditions.
“That’s a huge relief. Our mission yesterday was to save life. Our mission during the night was to save human life,” she told reporters.
Adrian McMurray 8.19am: Man dies defending home in Batlow
A man has died from a heart attack in Batlow last night.
NSW Police say the 47-year-old man was defending a friend’s home when he went to a nearby ute for water.
He was found unconscious in the ute by his friend, who drove a short distance before police attempted to assist. The man died at the scene.
Olivia Caisley 8.00am: Fire chief ‘wasn’t warned’ of army reserve plan
NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons says the Morrison government failed to warn him of its plan to commit 3000 army reservists to help fight fires raging across the state.
Speaking on Nine’s Today program on Sunday Mr Fitzsimmons said he was disappointed to have learned about the Prime Minister’s intervention via media reports.
“It was disappointing and some surprise to hear about these things through public announcements in the middle of what was one of the worst days this season,” Mr Fitzsimmons said.
It comes as Mr Morrison on Saturday announced the government would no longer simply respond to requests from the states for resources but change to a “move forward” posture following a snap meeting of the National Security Committee of cabinet in Canberra.
Up to 3000 Army reservists will be called out in an unprecedented move and the HMAS Adelaide will be deployed to assist in Australia’s bushfire crisis – which has seen more than 1500 homes destroyed and at least 23 confirmed deaths.
"It was disappointing and some surprise to hear about these things through public announcements.†RFS Commission Shane Fitzsimmons has revealed Scott Morrison did NOT tell him about his commitment of 3,000 army reservists until after it was publicly announced. #9Today pic.twitter.com/neyXJLlBXT
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) January 4, 2020
The government will also lease an extra four water bombers at a cost of $20m to help the planes already available for firefighting efforts as fires burn across NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.
Mr Fitzsimmons said he spent the majority of Saturday with commonwealth and military liaison officers to try and “work out” how these additional resources could be integrated with the existing fire fighting effort.
He said the announcement came amid the second-highest number of concurrent emergency warning fires “ever in the history of NSW” and a campaign to evacuate thousands of people from “our most vulnerable areas in southern NSW”.
“I spoke to the PM’s office last night in relation to my disappointment in the middle of a very busy day,” he said.
“We have people assigned at the NSW level particularly looking at utilising those crews to help with the recovery and the support operations to people who have been heavily impacted. It will be a valuable thing. It will help our communities.”
Mr Fitzsimmons told Today he had moved through the initial surprise and had never seen “integrations and operations work better”.
He said the NSW RFS had “never been refused any assistance from the Commonwealth”.
Adrian McMurray 7.40am: Canberra the world’s most polluted city
Canberra has woken to another day of hazardous pollution from fires surrounding the ACT.
Canberra - 730am pic.twitter.com/zdWtL024uT
— Trudy McIntosh (@TrudyMcIntosh) January 4, 2020
The capital has, for the second consecutive day, recorded the worst air quality in the world, recording higher figures than Sarajevo, Lahore, Delhi, Shenyang and Kabul.
An air quality index in Civic was 1957 earlier this morning. Anything above 200 is considered hazardous.
Jacquelin Magnay 6.30am: Queen’s message of condolence
Her Majesty The Queen has sent a message of condolence to Australia saying she was deeply saddened about the bushfires and their devastating impact.
In a note addressed to the Governor General of Australia, David Hurley, the Governor of New South Wales, Margaret Beazley, the Governor of Queensland, Paul de Jersey and Governor of Victoria Linda Dessau, as well as to all Australians, the Queen said:
“I have been deeply saddened to hear of the continued bushfires and their devastating impact across many parts of Australia.
“My thanks go out to the emergency services, and those who put their own lives in danger to help communities in need.
“Prince Philip and I send our thoughts and prayers to all Australians at this difficult time.”
The Buckingham Palace communication was then signed Elizabeth R.
6.15am: Hunt for bushfire culprit
A blaze that burned through a reserve in Sydney’s southwest during a statewide fire ban is believed to have been deliberately lit.
It took firefighters several hours to put out the blaze at The Crest Reserve at Georges Hall on Saturday, with the flames finally doused about 6pm. Police are calling for anyone in the Rex Road area between 1pm and 2pm who saw suspicious activity to come forward.
A total fire ban is in place in NSW during a week-long state of emergency as firefighters respond to the ongoing bushfire crisis.
Meanwhile, police on the NSW South Coast are reminding residents they will be investigating fire-damaged sites on behalf of the coroner to find out the cause and impact of devastating bushfires in the area.
Detective Inspector Scott Nelson said the process may take up to three weeks or longer depending on the weather.
“As part of our inquiries, we’d also be keen to review footage or images anyone has on their phones or other devices, that show any of the fires in their infancy, even if from a distance,” he said in a statement.
AAP
6.00am: Properties lost in NSW
NSW communities are bracing for news of property damage and loss after another long night for the state’s firefighters.
Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said they were receiving reports of “significant damage and destruction” on Saturday night after more than a dozen blazes reached an emergency warning alert level throughout the day. He believed property losses could run into the dozens.
“Some areas alone are reporting at least 15 properties alight in some locations,” Mr Fitzsimmons told ABC TV.
RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers later said properties had been reported lost or impacted in the Batlow area south of Tumut, North Nowra and Bundanoon in the Southern Highlands.
“Hopefully in a couple of hours conditions will start to ease but I’ve got to say there is so much fire out there that I don’t think the danger is going to pass for some time,” Mr Rogers said on Saturday night.
“We have no chance of getting containment on these fires anytime soon.” Emergency warnings were in place early on Sunday for fires in the Snowy Monaro and Bega Valley regions as well as in the Southern Highlands and at the 271,683-hectare Green Wattle Creek blaze southwest of Sydney. As firefighters worked through the night, a large water tank burst in the town of Cooma, south of Canberra, injuring a woman and sending water flooding through streets and homes.
A statewide total fire ban is in place on Sunday while a week-long state of emergency – the third in as many months – continues.
AAP
5.45am: Kangaroo Island fire continues to burn
Hundreds of firefighters are continuing to work on the blaze that has devastated Kangaroo Island with more than 155,000 hectares blackened and the fire yet to be fully contained.
The inferno has also claimed the lives of well-known outback pilot Dick Lang, 78, and his son, Adelaide surgeon Clayton Lang, 43.
They were caught by the flames as they were returning to their family property after battling the fire for two days. Their bodies were found in and near their burnt-out car.
An advice message remains in place for the bushfire, the perimeter of which stretches more than 300km.
Its eastern edge runs from west of Vivonne Bay, on the south coast of the island, to Stokes Bay on the north coast.
The fire has also devastated large parts of the Flinders Chase National Park. Significant home and property losses are expected, with considerable damage to tourism and service infrastructure.
The Country Fire Service says conditions across the fire ground have eased but crews will continue working for some time.
The CFS has also cautioned residents to be aware of hazards as they return to their homes.
“Watch out for falling trees, burning trees and underground roots, damaged or blocked roads, fallen power lines, smoke, ash and possible asbestos contamination,” it said.
“There are large patches of unburnt ground in the area and people need to monitor their surrounds for flare-ups and take action to stay safe.” A 24-hour relief centre remains operational at the Kingscote Football Club.
AAP
5.30am: Further Victorian evacuations
More evacuation orders have been issued to Victorians overnight as massive blazes continue to ravage the state’s east.
People in Dandongadale, Freeburgh, Wandiligong and surrounding areas in northeast Victoria were advised to leave overnight as a southwest wind change fanned bushfire flames.
Dozens of fires were burning in Victoria early on Sunday, 13 of which were subject to emergency warnings, the highest alert level.
Six people remain missing in East Gippsland blazes, on top of two confirmed dead.
More than 900,000 hectares of land has been overrun by flames, with about 110 properties and 220 outbuildings razed so far.
Temperatures soared to the early and mid-40s in parts of East Gippsland and northeast Victoria on Saturday, with total fire bans in place for a swag of weather districts.
More than 70 new fires were sparked in the 24 hours to 6pm on Saturday. Cooler conditions, lighter winds and a lack of lightning on Sunday are expected to bring some relief to firefighters.
The mercury is forecast to peak in the early 20s in East Gippsland, with rainfall of about 20ml expected later in the day.
In the northeast, temperatures could hit the late 20s in some parts, with some rainfall – albeit it likely less than 5ml – expected.
“That will help subdue the fire activity,” Bureau of meteorology senior meteorologist Dean Stewart told AAP.
Despite the shift, Premier Daniel Andrews has urged people to heed warnings and not be complacent.
“Lives can be lost if people don’t follow the instructions they’re given,” he told reporters.
The towns of Omeo and Swifts Creek in East Gippsland as well as Corryong near the NSW border are among those to have been under threat.
About 50 people were evacuated from Omeo by Chinook helicopters on Saturday but about 300 chose to stay in the township, Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville confirmed.
The evacuees were flown to Bairnsdale on the western side of the fires, before being transported to Sale.
In Gippsland, firefighters have been working to save critical infrastructure and the Country Fire Authority’s Andy Gillham said they were “in for the long haul”. “This is a marathon event and we expect to be busy managing these fires for at least the next eight weeks.” The fires have already killed Buchan man Mick Roberts and Maramingo Creek man Fred Becker.
About 70 per cent of the 100,000 population of the fire-impacted East Gippsland have fled.
Major highways have been closed for days, phone and powerlines are down, and residents have been told not to drink tap water amid contamination fears. After the sky turned red, then black at Mallacoota on Tuesday, people from the town are reporting the same thing has happened on Saturday.
Naval vessels plan to restock and return to the township to evacuate more people.
About 500 people are at a relief centre in Bairnsdale and there is an overflow centre at the local racecourse.
A state of emergency remains in place for Victoria throughout next week.
AAP
‘Trauma’ guide for judges to go woke
Judges should be ‘trauma-informed’ when dealing with Indigenous defendants, and recognise the ‘clear moral and ethical guidelines’ offered to Muslim defendants, a new guidebook says.
CFMEU reprieve for ‘rip your head off’ rep
CFMEU administrator Mark Irving has decided to keep employing Joel Shackleton, despite him being charged by police with threatening to kill an owner of an Indigenous labour hire company.