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Bushfires: exodus from our fatal shore as navy launches rescues

Grave fears are held for the lives of 18 people missing in the new year bushfire crisis, as police and ­military stage mass evacuations and NSW declares a state of ­emergency.

Commander Scott Houlihan of HMAS Choules talks to the hundreds gathered at a town hall meeting in Mallacoota about evacuation on the ship. Picture: David Caird
Commander Scott Houlihan of HMAS Choules talks to the hundreds gathered at a town hall meeting in Mallacoota about evacuation on the ship. Picture: David Caird

Grave fears are held for the lives of 18 people missing in the new year bushfire crisis, as police and ­military stage mass evacuations and NSW declares a state of ­emergency.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews late on Thursday confirmed a second person had died and ­also ­declared a state of disaster in six local government areas, warning of more horrendous conditions to come. “If you can leave, then you must leave,” he said.

The navy’s HMAS Choules was ready to extract 800 of up to 4000 people from an isolated Malla­coota in far-east Victoria on Friday morning — the first of several planned rescues by sea — with ­priority being given to the elderly, the sick, women and children.

Several people were expected to be taken out by helicopter late on Thursday, with earlier plans to evacuate vulnerable refugees by air delayed by thick smoke.

In NSW, thousands of holidaymakers have been scrambling to leave a 250km-long disaster zone snaking from Nowra to Burrill Lake on the state’s south coast after the area was declared a “tourist leave zone”.

The coastal exodus, which caused fuel shortages and long lines at supermarkets, was describe­d by NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance as the “largest mass re­location of people” out of the Batemans Bay region in history.

Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons warned that Saturday’s conditions would rival those experienced on New Year’s Eve, when multiple lives and more than 380 homes were lost.

A second tourist leave zone was announced for the Snowy Monaro region, including Jindabyne, Adamina­by, Berridale, Delegate, Providence Portal, Anglers Reach and Old Adaminaby.

Premier Daniel Andrews has declared a state of disaster. Picture: Ian Currie
Premier Daniel Andrews has declared a state of disaster. Picture: Ian Currie

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian declared a seven-day state of emergency, the third in eight weeks, saying the government wanted to ensure it was “taking every single precaution to be prepared for what could be a horrible day on Saturday”.

Similar warnings have been ­issued in Victoria, where Mallacoota is one of at least 30 isolated commun­ities across the state, with several cut off with no power or phone reception and fast running out of supplies.

About 4000 people are seeking refuge at Mallacoota, most of them tourists, but authorities were unable to say how many people were trapped in towns including Buchan, Genoa and Club Terrace.

While Victorian fire authorities have implored tourists to leave East Gippsland and the alpine ­region, warning that there was a “small window of opportunity” to get out, many locals are preparing to stay and fight the fires.

Mallacoota residents and holiday makers line up to sign up for evacuation on HMAS Choules. Picture: David Caird
Mallacoota residents and holiday makers line up to sign up for evacuation on HMAS Choules. Picture: David Caird

Hot and windy conditions have been forecast for Friday and Saturday, with parts of bushfire-ravaged East Gippsland expecting temperatures to climb into the 40s.

Albury-Wodonga has a forecast high of 44C and Batemans Bay is expecting to reach 41C.

Scott Morrison, who has been criticised in recent days over his perceived inaction over the crisis, said he understood people’s frustration as they waited for supplies and evacuation.

“My simple request is to be ­patient, to have confidence in the state agencies,” the Prime Minister said. “What we are saying is we cannot control the natural disaster but what we can do is control our response.”

He said the national security committee of cabinet would meet on Monday to discuss the government’s bushfire response.

More than 110 fires are still burning across NSW and more than 50 in Victoria. Fears are growing that two large fires threatening communities in the Corryong region could link with another larger inferno in NSW, creating a massive firefront. “If these two fires get to roll, they will suck each other in,” local incident controller Leith McKenzie said.

Hundreds of people who escape­d Corryong on Wednesday are in relief centres in neighbouring towns. An attempt will be made to evacuate those remaining on Friday.

This week alone, eight people have died as a result of fires — seven in NSW and one in Victoria — but there are grave fears that number could rise.

Since the start of July, 15 people have been confirmed dead and almost­ 1300 homes have been destroye­d by bushfires in NSW. More than 3.6 million hectares have been burnt.

In Victoria, the fires have burned about 800,000ha, claiming about 80 structures. That figure is expected to rise substantially given that the isolation of some fire-ravaged communities and thick smoke have hampered ­efforts to survey affected areas.

Navy helicopters are seen landing at Bairnsdale airport ahead of evacuations. Picture: David Crosling
Navy helicopters are seen landing at Bairnsdale airport ahead of evacuations. Picture: David Crosling

A fire at Adelaide Hills in South Australia last month also claimed one life.

Mr Andrew­s said there were at least 17 people “at this stage we cannot ­account for” in Victoria. “Their whereabouts is unknown to us, plus there is one person­ confirmed as deceased,” he said.

That person is Buchan great-grandfather Mick Roberts, who has been identified by family as having died trying to save his home on Monday.

Victims in NSW include three volunteer firefighters, including newlywed and father-to-be ­Samuel McPaul, who was killed on Monday. A Belowra man, 72, remain­s missing.

In Victoria, Bairnsdale woman Rosemary Meyzis told Nine News she feared her parents and two brothers may have perished at their property at Club Terrace, which is inaccessible by road because­ of surrounding fires: “I don’t know whether they’re dead or alive or if they need assistance.”

In recent days, new watch and act warnings have been issued for the alpine region, including Bright, Buckland, Freeburgh, Falls Creek, Germantown, Har­riet­ville, Hotham Heights, Mount Buffalo, Porepunkah and Wandiligong.

New fires from lightning on Wednesday to the south of Dinner Plain and Mount Hotham are expected­ to run to the southeast, putting pressure on the Swifts Creek area and ­surrounds.

Emergency Management Dep­uty­ Commissioner Debra Abbott urged people to leave the state’s ­alpine areas immediately and by Friday evening at the latest.

“With the impending weather conditions … we have a small window of opportunity for people in those areas to leave now,” she said.

According to local tourism ­operators, about 15,000 people holiday in and around Bright at this time of year.

Alpine Shire mayor Peter Roper said anyone who did not need to be there should leave immediately­.

“We don’t want roads blocked (by tourists) to hamper emergency ­vehicles,” he said.

Additional reporting: Grant McArthur, Kieran Gair

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/bushfires-exodus-from-our-fatal-shore-as-navy-launches-rescues/news-story/d5f1e506e2c242a7930d00c089849e2d