Casualties and losses mount as bushfires rage through NSW, Victoria and SA
A devastating picture of heartbreak and loss is emerging across three states following a terrifying 24 hours.
One person is dead, at least 35 homes were lost and dozens of firefighters were left injured and exhausted following a day of catastrophic bushfires spanning three states.
At its peak, 10 fires raged across the country at emergency level in NSW and Victoria on Saturday, while a huge blaze in South Australia’s Adelaide Hills razed more than 25,000 hectares, killing one person. A second, prominent horseracing identity John Glatz, is fighting for life in an Adelaide hospital.
In NSW, 70 of a total of 120 fires burned out of control as strong southerly change in the afternoon made already hellish conditions worse for the 4000 firefighters battling to save life and property. An elderly man whose home was consumed by flames at Dargan remains missing.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has received a briefing on the situation at the NSW RFS headquarters this morning, having arrived back in Australia from Hawaii late on Saturday night. The Prime Minister cut short a family holiday to catch a commercial flight into Sydney.
He has spoken to volunteer firefighters and thanked Canadian and US counterparts who have joined the effort.
PM @ScottMorrisonMP has addressed fire fighters at the @NSWRFS headquarters. https://t.co/b3nAU20I54 #NSWFires #auspol #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/Qi2qULhho2
— 7NEWS Australia (@7NewsAustralia) December 21, 2019
It comes as his deputy, Nationals leader Michael McCormack said more needed to be done to address climate change.
Overnight, at least eight properties were lost in Lithgow, and up to 20 between Lithgow and Bilpin, where the Gospers Mountain ‘‘mega-blaze’’ has razed 460,000 hectares.
NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said early estimates indicated property losses would reach the “dozens” as the full extent of Saturday’s crisis emerged. He described it simply as “an awful day.”
Emergency level fires have now been downgraded as firefighters try to take advantage of the cooler conditions and authorities assess the damage. But there is no chance they will get the upper hand.
“We’re not going to get on top of these fires until we get some decent rain,” Mr Fitzsimmons said.
The Green Wattle Creek fire southwest of Sydney has covered 189,000ha and the Currowan fire has burned through 130,000ha on the south coast of NSW, authorities say.
Mr Fitzsimmons said several firefighters in NSW suffered injuries on Saturday, four related to heat exhaustion and another in an accident involving a private vehicle.
The Navy said late on Saturday night it had evacuated some residents on the NSW south coast.
South Australian Premier Steven Marshall confirmed an Adelaide Hills fire had killed a person at Charleston. A Queensland man also died in a crash at Lameroo, east of Adelaide, on Friday. The crash is blamed for sparking a bushfire in the Murraylands
The Adelaide Hills blaze at Cudlee Creek has destroyed at least 28 buildings, including 15 homes. Twenty-three firefighters were confirmed injured and one remained in a critical condition. Mr Marshall said he would cancel a scheduled trip to deal with the crisis.
“My focus at the moment is not on my Christmas holidays. It’s trying to make sure we get through this difficult period,” he said.
Houses were destroyed in Lithgow today after fire embers landed near homes. https://t.co/PpNYle74Ri #NSWfires #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/2di6zZ9zoZ
— 7NEWS Sydney (@7NewsSydney) December 21, 2019
In Victoria, emergency warnings were issued for the towns of Brookville, Ensay, Stirling, Tambo Crossing and Wattle Circle but have since been downgraded to watch-and- act.
A relief centre has been set up at the Omeo Memorial Hall, 60 kilometres north, while generators were being set up on Sunday to restore power and services to the area.
Authorities said the fires were in steep and inaccessible terrain, making it hard for firefighters on the ground and in the air to reach. In the state’s west, residents of Lexton, near Ballarat, were told to evacuate overnight after the cool change threatened to push a nearby bushfire towards the town.
The warning was lifted on Saturday morning and there is no current threat to communities.
As he defended the Prime Minister's Christmas holiday absence, Nationals leader Mr McCormack said he accepted sentiment had shifted on climate change and that people were living in fear amid the bushfire crisis.
“Yeah I do, absolutely – I do agree entirely,” he said when asked whether more needed to be done to address climate change. However, he would not be drawn on practical measures.
“The discussion can be had [but] there’s been a lot of hysteria around climate change. “Climate change isn’t the only factor that has caused the fires.”
He cited arson, dry lightning strikes and self-combusting piles of manure as contributing factors.
The federal government on Saturday announced emergency relief payments Federal Minister for Emergency Management David Littleproud announced emergency relief payments of $1000 per adult and $400 per child were available to those worst-hit by the bushfires in the NSW local-government areas of Blue Mountains, Lithgow and Singleton.
Federal minister David Littleproud said also said 30 Canadian firefighters and nine firefighters from the US a would join Australian and New Zealand firefighters as early as Sunday.
The strong southerly winds are likely to have a significant impact on a number of #NSW fire grounds over nxt few hours, especially north & nth-west of #Sydney. Multiple #fires at #Emergency levels tonight & properties have been lost today. Keep monitoring https://t.co/o2h2Cyg7YZ pic.twitter.com/MFiLdip9lT
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) December 21, 2019
Adelaide Hills residents were being allowed to return to their homes on Sunday. Police will start to lift restrictions at some road blocks, allowing locals from within the fire zone to return to their properties and survey the damage.
The Country Fire Service said while there was still some fire activity in the northwest section near Cudlee Creek, the situation had moderated during Saturday.
“There are still areas of unburnt vegetation throughout the fire ground and there is the potential for flare-ups,” the CFS said.
“Support agencies are working to assess damage and clear roads to allow people back into their properties when it is safe to do so.”
A watch and act alert was issued for Cudlee Creek, Gumeracha, Lobethal, Woodside and Mount Torrens in the Mount Lofty Ranges in the early hours of Sunday. The CFS urged people there to leave if they weren’t prepared for the scrub fire, which was moving north towards Cudlee Creek, Gumeracha, Birdwood and Mount Torrens.
NSW remains in a state of emergency until Christmas Day.
Payments of $1000 per adult and $400 per child are now available to those worst-hit by the bushfires in the local government areas of Blue Mountains, Lithgow and Singleton. pic.twitter.com/GhJ6kLt3Zf
— David Littleproud (@D_LittleproudMP) December 21, 2019
with AAP
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