We are going to close this blog now, but stand by for a story summarising today’s fires and a forecast for tomorrow. Fires continue to burn all over the country.
Across NSW, there are still 59 fires burning, 29 of which are not contained, and one which is at emergency level.
In Victoria, there are at least 60 blazes burning. The exact number is not known as new fires have been sparked by lightning strikes during this afternoon’s storm.
Firefighters have battled more than 65 fires across South Australia over the past 24 hours.
Nine fires are burning in Queensland, most in the south-east, including one on Moreton Island.
Two fires are at alert level in Tasmania.
To everyone, at the fire fronts and beyond, stay safe.
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The storm that has swept across Victoria has caused significant damage. The State Emergency Service has received 1,800 requests for assistance in the last 24 hours, the majority – 1,300 – for fallen trees.
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Perhaps...
You have to wonder if we're going to look back on this summer as the one where everything irrevocably changed. https://t.co/Y9229nvDYK
— Benjamin Law 羅旭能 (@mrbenjaminlaw) November 21, 2019
Extraordinary to see every Australian state and territory on fire today (Tasmania – typically – left off this map, but there are several fires across that state).
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The cool change that’s hit Melbourne has brought relief, but also comparisons with Black Saturday in February 2009. Your correspondent is among those who remembers the wind suddenly swinging around and the temperature (which had reached 46C) dropping 15C in 15 minutes...
The SW'ly cool change crossed #Melbourne at 2.50pm, bringing widespread dust and a temperature drop of 9 degrees in 15 minutes.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) November 21, 2019
The maximum temperature was 40.9 degrees - this equals the all-time record for November at the City station, previously set on 27 Nov 1894. pic.twitter.com/du6dvtLbo2
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Many towns in #Tasmania set new November maximum temperature #records today. The statewide top temp of 38.3 °C recorded at #Campania was only slightly lower than the November record for any location in Tasmania (38.5 °C at Hobart AP on 23 Nov 1966). https://t.co/1kG3dWeUY7 pic.twitter.com/BRtTIO6DAw
— Bureau of Meteorology, Tasmania (@BOM_Tas) November 21, 2019
Tomorrow will be no easier in NSW:
At 5pm there are 59 bush & grass fires burning across the state, with 29 still to be contained. One fire remains at Emergency Warning and two are at Watch & Act. There are no total fire bans tomorrow but widespread very high fire danger & warm weather is set to continue. #nswrfs pic.twitter.com/o6lhsLwsiH
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) November 21, 2019
An out-an-control bushfire is threatening homes near Rochester in northern Victoria, as firefighters battle more than 60 blazes on a scorching day.
An emergency warning is in place for a grassfire in Strathallan, south of Echuca, which was burning in a south-easterly direction towards Rochester, but has now changed direction with wind changes.
“You are in danger, act now to protect yourself. It is too late to leave. The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately,” warnings issued late on Thursday said.
“Do not get in the car and drive. It is safer to stay where you are.”
Emergency authorities said police were investigating the cause of the blaze.
A fire near Ballarat that was at emergency level has been downgraded to a watch and act warning.
The fire was heading towards Dunac, but waterbombing from helicopters and aircraft helped contain it.
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Ben Doherty here, picking up this liveblog from my colleague Josh Taylor.
The Yorketown fire in South Australia was caused by a power network fault, AAP reports:
A dangerous bushfire that forced the evacuation of towns, destroyed homes and crops, and injured more than 30 people on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula was caused by a power network fault.
The blaze broke out during catastrophic fire danger conditions on Wednesday afternoon, and burned uncontrolled in stubble towards the coastal towns of Edithburgh and Coobowie.
The Country Fire Service said firefighters worked throughout the night in difficult conditions to halt the fire’s spread.
“(There was) strong winds, high fire intensity, high rates of spread and, in that context, it produced lots of smoke and lots of dust,” incident controller Richard de Groot told reporters.
“It was at a point of practically no visibility. There were some fairly stressful moments.”
The fire has burnt through about 5000 hectares over an area with a 61-kilometre perimeter, wiping out “a high number” of stock and crops.
At least 11 properties have been damaged or destroyed, including homes and sheds, and 33 people have been treated for minor injuries including smoke inhalation.
De Groot confirmed the fire was caused by a power network fault just outside of Yorketown.
A cool change that swept across the state on Thursday brought relief for firefighters, who have placed control lines around the blaze.
“With the weather that is forecast over the next few hours, we’re quite confident that we’ll be in a position to hold this fire overnight and in the coming days,” de Groot said.
“The challenges aren’t nearly as significant as they were in the early hours of (Thursday) morning.”
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Just regarding the dust storm that hit north-west Victoria today, my colleague Naaman Zhou has more:
We noticed through the windows that the sky had turned this dark, thick orange. We could feel this thick dust on the tables.
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Emergency warning issued for Strathallan
The CFA has issued an emergency warning for Fairy Dell, Nanneella and Strathallan. A grass fire south west of Strathallan and north of Rochester is burning out of control.
It has crossed Burgoine Road, Rochester-Strathallan Road, and the railway line travelling in a north-easterly direction.
EMERGENCY WARNING - STRATHALLAN
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) November 21, 2019
This Emergency Warning is being issued for Fairy Dell, Nanneella, Strathallan. There is a grassfire south west of Strathallan and north of Rochester that is not yet under control.
It is too late to leave. https://t.co/goKuCuIOuS pic.twitter.com/QE7X0Ic4Zp
The severe thunderstorm warning for Melbourne has been cancelled, but is still in effect for parts of eastern Victoria.
The Severe Thunderstorm Warning for the Melbourne Area is cancelled. Fawkner Beacon (far N of Port Phillip) recorded a 117 km/h gust at 3:11pm.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) November 21, 2019
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is still in force over parts of eastern Victoria. Refer to: https://t.co/Oqw7z0Wvyz pic.twitter.com/xTVM9rMr7k
Many parts of Victoria broke maximum temperature records for November today.
Preliminary analysis shows large areas of central & eastern #Victoria have broken November max. temperature records today, incl. #Melbourne (40.9 equal warmest), #Laverton (42.4), #WilsonsProm (38.0), #EastSale (40.8), and #Mangalore (42.2). Latest obs at: https://t.co/980vXhVPOE pic.twitter.com/j4525T0XS6
— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) November 21, 2019
The cool change hit Melbourne just before 3pm today, dropping the temperature by 9C from 40.9C.
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My colleagues Nick Evershed and Andy Ball have put together animations that show the extent of the fires in New South Wales and Queensland over the past few weeks using satellite data from Nasa’s hotspot detection program.
Bushfires have destroyed 612 homes so far this season in New South Wales, via AAP:
The RFS has confirmed the number of homes lost this NSW bushfire season has risen to 612 as firefighters continue to battle some 50 blazes across the state.
The number of NSW homes lost to bushfires this season has passed 600 as crews continue to battle 50 blazes across the state which have again blanketed Sydney in smoke.
An emergency warning for an out-of-control bushfire was issued on Thursday afternoon for a blaze burning between Bora Ridge and Whiporie on the state’s north coast.
It has so far burned 34,000 hectares and is spreading towards Whiporie, Camira, Tullymorgan and Jacky Bulbin Flat, the NSW Rural Fire Service says.
Six people have also died, and 1,300 outbuildings have been damaged or destroyed in the past fortnight.
Sydney is also dealing with a lot of smoke right now, and people are being urged to stay indoors if they have chronic respiratory or heart conditions. The smoke is predicted to clear by Friday morning when a southerly change hits.
There are still 50 fires burning, 20 of which are uncontained, but conditions are expected to improve over the next few days.
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There’s also a dust storm across north-west Victoria.
The rain has just started here at #Rochester Winds are swirling massive amounts of red dust, as a bushfire burns. Temperature has dropped 6 degrees in 10 minutes @7NewsMelbourne pic.twitter.com/EqukTd6bQx
— Jodi Lee (@jodilee_7) November 21, 2019
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The fire situation over the last 72 hours.
Australia in the last 72 hours. #nswfires #qldfires #SAfires #vicfires #WAfires pic.twitter.com/aTCGPTl2aN
— Isobel Roe (@isobelroe) November 20, 2019
Here’s the latest from Victorian emergency management commissioner, Andrew Crisp:
- 130km/h winds in the Grampians this morning, followed by 90km/h winds at Tullamarine.
- The cool change is working its way through Melbourne now, after temperatures peaked at around 41C.
- Four emergency warnings have been issued for fires, six watch and act warnings, and 10 advice.
- There are more than 2,000 firefighters out across the state, 300 trucks, and 33 helicopters and planes.
- There will be an emergency warning for a fire in Hunter near Elmore.
- A fire at watch and act level north of Avoca was started by a lightning strike to a tree.
- The fire causing significant concern at the moment is at Strathallan in the Goulburn Valley.
- Dry lightning strikes could cause more fires as the storm works its way through Victoria up to 11pm tonight.
- Thunderstorm asthma is also a big risk this afternoon, but there have been no cases presented to hospital yet.
“A message is for people to still be vigilant in relation to the fire risk,” Crisp said. “It’s not just a fire risk we have been dealing with today, but also thunderstorm asthma.”
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Dangerous bushfire conditions across six states amid record temperatures
Good afternoon, Josh Taylor here to bring you all the latest on the bushfire situation.
Here’s where we are as of 3.30pm AEDT:
- Code Red – the highest warning level – issued in Victoria as fires are raging in the central Victorian towns of Clunes, Bonn and Strathallan.
- Temperatures in Victoria have reached the early 40s, amid a thunderstorm warning for Melbourne and a cool change this afternoon.
- In South Australia, there are catastrophic bushfire conditions for the second day in a row, with one fire burning out of control on the Yorke Peninsula.
- 33 people were injured in South Australia yesterday, while 11 properties were damaged in fires.
- In New South Wales, 55 fires are still burning, with 31 uncontained, and 12 fire bans in place across the state.
- A total of 67 fires are burning out of control in Queensland.
- In Western Australia, there is a catastrophic fire warning for southern interior parts of the state, while in Tasmania parts of the east coast have an extreme bushfire rating.
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