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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Helen Davidson (now), Naaman Zhou and Luke Henriques-Gomes (earlier)

Two dead in Cobargo as New South Wales and Victoria face bushfire threat – as it happened

Summary

We are going to wind up the blog for now. Catastrophic conditions saw a horrendous day in Victoria and NSW.

You can read a full wrap of the day’s events here.

  • The NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner says it is the worst fire season on record in the state.
  • Another two people are dead in NSW. A 63-year-old man and his 29-year-old son were found dead at their property near Cobargo. A woman told police her husband and son had stayed to fight the fires.
  • Four people are missing in Victoria and a 72-year-old man is missing at Belowra in NSW.
  • People on the south coast of NSW from Nowra to Moruya have been warned they will lose all telecommunications tonight, including landlines, mobiles and internet. This includes hospitals.
  • The Australian Defence Force is sending military air and sea assets to Victoria to assist with evacuations.
  • There are significant property losses across both states but the impact won’t be known until assessors can access the fire grounds.
  • Thousands of people were forced to shelter on a jetty, waterfront, in the water and on boats and sand bars in Mallacoota, as a firefront bore down on the East Gippsland town early this morning.
  • Terrifying scenes saw glowing red skies and pitch darkness at mid-morning.
  • Towns across the East Gippsland region remain cut off even after the fire danger has passed, with roads, electricity and other services cut.
  • A southerly change swept up the NSW coast late on Tuesday, moderating some fires but bringing strong gusty winds and little to no rain.
  • Scott Morrison has extended the payments for volunteer firefighters to Queensland, and says other states are welcome to join.
  • Fires are continuing to create their own thunderstorms, bringing lightning that is sparking new fires.
  • More details were released about the death of the 28-year-old firefighter, Samuel McPaul, with veteran firefighters saying “freakish” conditions had to be seen to be believed, with a fire tornado picking up and flipping the eight-tonne truck.
  • Several fires are under investigation by police in both Victoria and NSW.

Updated

From the NSW police:

The Public Information and Inquiry Centre (PIIC) has been opened to assist members of the public in relation to bushfire information for the south coast areas.

The telephone number to call is 1800 227 228.

Members of the public are reminded to delay all non-essential travel in fire-affected areas to assist emergency services.

Information specifically relating to the bushfires can be obtained by contacting the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737.

Updated

A very quick reversal on that Sydney Morning Herald story – David Elliott is coming home.

Better late than never, hey.

Updated

Fires in NSW are being downgraded.

The Greystanes and Charmhaven fires are now at watch and act level.

There are still five emergency-level fires burning in the south.

Updated

The Charmhaven fire on the NSW Central Coast is reportedly being investigated by police.

Police have also released a statement about the two deaths reported earlier today. They have not released the names of the two men.

Police have confirmed two men have died and a third is still unaccounted for in bushfires impacting the state’s south coast.

A 63-year-old man and his 29-year-old son are believed to have died overnight (Monday 30 December 2019), on their property at Wandella, about 10km north-west of Cobargo.

A woman has told police she’d left the property the previous evening, but her husband and son stayed behind to defend the home and farm equipment. She returned this morning and discovered their bodies.

A 72-year-old man is unaccounted for at Belowra, about 50km north-west of Cobargo.

Updated

“Why do we even have an emergency services minister if he is not going to be here in an emergency?”

The Sydney Morning Herald is quoting a few anonymous members of the NSW government, reacting to news that the state’s emergency services minister, David Elliott, is not cutting short his European holiday despite what the fire commissioner says is the worst season the state has ever seen, and despite saying he would come back if the situation demanded it.

Elliott’s decision to go on holidays was criticised in the wake of the nationwide criticism the prime minister faced for taking his family off to Hawaii (while his office told reporters he hadn’t).

Morrison apologised and came back early, but according to the SMH, Elliott has more to do in London.

Elliott has said he’s receiving regular briefings from the RFS, and the premier, Gladys Berejiklian, said today the buck stops with her and she feels completely supported.

Updated

There are horrifying photos coming out of Sarsfield, just north-east of Bairnsdale in Victoria. Up to 20 houses are lost in the community.

Calla Wahlquist spoke to a number of evacuees today, taking shelter in Bairnsdale.

From the hill behind the makeshift campground, evacuees could see the ridges surrounding Nicholson and Sarsfield burning.

A tree trunk smoulders near a burnt-out property in Sarsfield
A tree trunk smoulders near a burnt-out property in Sarsfield. Photograph: James Ross/AAP
A burnt-out residence in Sarsfield, East Gippsland
A burnt-out residence in Sarsfield, East Gippsland. Photograph: James Ross/AAP
Molten metal runs from a burnt-out vehicle at a destroyed property in Sarsfield
Molten metal runs from a burnt-out vehicle at a destroyed property in Sarsfield. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

Updated

Power on the NSW south coast is likely to be out for 24 hours.

Authorities earlier warned that all telecommunications (landlines, mobiles and internet) would be lost tonight.

“Energy and utilities have advised that due to the bushfires all power has been lost from South Nowra to Moruya and potentially beyond,” NSW police said.

“Power is unlikely to be restored for at least 24 hours. The power outage also affects communication lines and therefore some landlines are not operating which means internet is also affected. Additionally, communication towers have been affected impacting mobile services.

“Energy companies are working with RFS to gain access to safely restore services although until it is safe for workers to enter affected areas this will be delayed as they are currently impacted by bushfires.”

Updated

From the federal minister for natural disaster and emergency management, David Littleproud:

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 Kangaroo Island and Mount Barker.

Assistance is being provided through the Australia Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP).

“This is for people whose home has been severely damaged or destroyed, who’ve been seriously injured or who’ve lost a family member,” Littleproud said.

“This will help to cover the immediate needs of those worst hit, and help them get through the coming days.

“We will make further assistance available to these communities if it is needed.

“It’s going to take time for life to return to normal and we’ll be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with these communities until they’re back on their feet.

“People can call the Department of Human Services to check their eligibility.”

An emergency warning has been issued this afternoon for a fire in Tasmania.

“There is a bushfire at North East of Tower Hill,” the TFS says.

“The fire will put North East of Tower Hill at very high risk. This fire will be uncontrollable. Burning embers, falling on North East of Tower Hill will threaten your home before the main fire.”

Louis Boyle-Bryant is at the community centre in Mallacoota, which went through a pretty devastating and traumatic experience overnight and today.

Thousands of people evacuated to the waterfront, onto boats in the lake, and to the community centre as the large, out-of-control fire bore down on the town.

While the fire has passed, the community is still isolated.

A short time ago the people sheltered there received a briefing from emergency services, who said that the immediate threat was over. Boyle-Bryant said the authorities told them there was still a residual risk from burning trees and houses, and recommended against people going to check on their homes.

“But some folks have gone to check anyway, if they can get past fire lines,” he said.

“Most of the campground only sustained minor damage so a lot of people from the wharf have gone back to their tents/caravans.

“I’ll stay in the community centre again tonight. Bit shaken and don’t want to set up tents again.”

Updated

Resident Peter Nicol in the town of Sussex Inlet
Resident Peter Nicol in the town of Sussex Inlet on Tuesday. There are a number of dangerous bushfires burning at emergency level across NSW as weather conditions deteriorate with temperatures expected to rise ahead of a gusty southerly change. Princes Highway on the south coast has been closed with motorists told to avoid all non-essential travel. Photograph: Sam Mooy/Getty Images
Firefighters hose down the area as they battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra on Tuesday
Firefighters hose down the area as they battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra on Tuesday. Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images
Children wear masks as they play at the showgrounds in Bega, where people are camping after being evacuated from nearby sites affected by bushfires
Children wear masks as they play at the showgrounds in Bega, where people are camping after being evacuated from nearby sites affected by bushfires. Photograph: Sean Davey/AFP via Getty Images

Updated

Marine wind warnings for the rest of today:

Gale warning for the following areas:
Sydney closed waters, Hunter coast, Sydney coast and Illawarra coast

Strong wind warning for the following areas:
Byron coast, Coffs coast, Macquarie coast, Batemans coast and Eden coast

Wind warnings for tomorrow:

Strong wind warning for the following areas:
Coffs coast, Macquarie coast, Hunter coast and Sydney coast

Updated

Updated

In the last hour or so the strong southerly change has crossed the Currowan fireground on the NSW south coast.

This emergency-level fire is burning between Nowra in the north, Braidwood in the west, and Batemans Bay in the south.

There has been a significant increase in fire activity south of the Kings Highway to the west of Nelligen, the RFS says.

The fire merged with the Tianjara fire in the Morton national park to the south-west of Nowra, and the Charleys Forest fire has grown along its western flank.

Updated

Devastating scenes inside the fireground at Mogo where several buildings have burned down, including houses and the Aboriginal Land Council.

Updated

Communications to be lost overnight on the south coast

All telecommunications – mobile and landline phones and internet – will be lost between Nowra and Moruya tonight, NSW police have just warned. This will also affect hospitals in the area.

Updated

ADF planning evacuation for coastal communities

The federal government has agreed to supply military vessels to Victoria for evacuations in coastal communities where people are trapped.

The ADF will send Black Hawks, Chinooks, fixed wing aircraft and navy vessels for firefighting support and evacuation.

Updated

'This is absolutely one of the worst seasons we’ve seen'

“We’ve got fires burning from the Queensland border all the way down to the Victorian border, across the great dividing range,” says Fitzsimmons.

There have been multiple challenges, he says, noting that today conditions didn’t allow for the flying of some aerial support craft.

“We are expecting a return to more hot dangerous and difficult conditions … and we can expect some fairly widespread severe fire danger ratings.”

He notes the dry landscape, the “moisture depleted” landscape, in a state which is “100% drought-affected”. There’s been a significant number of pyroconvective activity and the tragic consequences of that.

“We have seen now confirmed eight civilian fatalities, three firefighter fatalities, and we have grave concerns for another civilian down in the southeast of NSW,” he says.

“We have seen over 900 homes destroyed and over 3.6m hectares of country burnt so far this season. We have still months to go of summer. Absolutely, this is up to be one of the worst, if not the worst fire season we have experienced here in NSW.”

Updated

RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons is giving an update from its Sydney headquarters. Here are the main points:

  • There are more than 100 fires burning in the state, more than half uncontained: 2,200 firefighters are in the field.
  • The southerly change is currently at Nowra and is expected in the Sydney basin between 6pm and 7pm.
  • Ahead of that, the WNW winds are up to about 70 km/h, but the southerly is also bringing damaging gusts up to 80km, although it will lose strength as it moves up the coast.
  • That cold front is halving temperatures in some areas.
  • Batemans Bay and other areas – particularly adjacent to the coast – are seeing some moderation once the change goes through, but the southern ranges are not benefiting from it.
  • Along the coastal strip from Nowra towards Bega, “there’s communities all the way along there that are exposed and vulnerable” as well as inland, across the Snowy Mountains plains there are a number of problematic fires, and into the west and south at the cross-border Green Valley fire.
  • The Green Valley fire is expected to move into the Kosciuszko national park.
  • The Charmhaven fire is burning east-northeasterly, and is spreading towards more populated areas in the Woongarrah area. Fire crews are hoping to get it under control overnight.
  • There are significant power challenges and disruptions to utilities in fire affected areas.
  • There are dangerous trees and fires burning on both sides of multiple arterial roads.
  • The RFS received about 68 applications for fire ban exemptions (including the Sydney NYE fireworks). They said yes to about 30.

Updated

The Charmhaven fire on the NSW Central Coast is a new one today. It’s an emergency level blaze and has destroyed at least 83 hectares already.

Crews are on the scene working to protect property and people in Mona, Arizona and Allinga Hiawatha Road, were earlier told to take shelter because it is too late to leave.

The Bureau of Meteorology says thunderstorms could make the NSW bushfire situation even worse, adding to soaring temperatures and gusty winds, AAP reports.

Thunderstorms forecast to develop in NSW could make an already dangerous bushfire situation even worse, the bureau says.

Bureau of Meteorology NSW state manager Jane Golding says the state is experiencing heatwave conditions on Tuesday with soaring temperatures, gusty winds and smoke pollution in many areas.

Thunderstorms could exacerbate the situation later on if lightning strikes spark new fires, Golding told reporters on Tuesday afternoon.

“Over the course of today we are expecting general thunderstorms to develop – they are going to cause a few problems around the fire grounds,” she said.

Lightning strikes sparked more than a dozen blazes in Victoria’s alpine region on Tuesday while thunderstorms have started spot fires in Tasmania.

A southerly change sweeping up the NSW coast would drop temperatures in the evening, with bushfire conditions forecast to ease on Wednesday, according to the bureau.

“In much of the state we are expecting markedly cooler conditions tomorrow,” Golding said.

“But up in the northwest we are still expecting really warm temperatures and increased fire dangers.”

Updated

In the Aboriginal community of Lake Tyers, about 35 people chose to stay on country when they came under threat from the East Gippsland fires, NITV reports.

“We’re a small community of 250 Aboriginal people, 46 houses out there. There’s roughly 35 community [members] who have stayed,” traditional owner Kerry Tregonning said.

“Most of them were born out here, they have no transport, some of them are hooked up to oxygen, there’s a lot of little things.”

There is an endless stream of jaw-dropping photos and videos on social media today.

An eerie darkness has settled over the New South Wales south coast town of Huskisson, as bushfires in the surrounding areas close in around the town.

By 3pm the town was entirely covered by a thick haze that made it feel more like 8pm.

Beaches that usually at this time of day would be crowded with tourists are abandoned, and at the main pub in town people watched nervously as ash fell from the sky and the last sunlight disappeared behind the smoky haze.

Many people have already left, but at about lunchtime authorities closed the Princes Highway and the Rural Fire Service sent text messages warning visitors to seek shelter as the fire arrived.

Suffice to say New Year’s Eve plans have taken a hit.

The fireworks had already been cancelled, but when we drove past the beach where the celebrations are usually held about 20 minutes ago it was completely empty.

At the apartment where I’m staying we’re all gathered around the air purifier and watching the rolling updates on ABC 24.

Huskisson, NSW, as bushfires rage through much of the south coast of NSW.
Huskisson, NSW, as bushfires rage through much of the south coast of NSW. Photograph: Michael McGowan/The Guardian

Updated

In NSW there are eight emergency level fires and nine watch and act level fires.

Seven of the emergency fires are in the south of the state, and one is on the Central Coast at Charmhaven.

In Victoria there are eight emergency warnings, all in the East Gippsland region except for one east of Albury (which has come from over the border in NSW where it is referred to by a different name)

Throughout the afternoon and evening we’ll do our best to bring you the latest on all of them.

Journalist and author Melissa Pouliot is in Wallagoot, near Tathra, living through her third “too close for comfort” experience with bushfires in a decade.

“We are packed, well prepared and informed,” she tweeted.

After the March 2018 fires in Tathra, she organised the Book Love for Tathra appeal to return books to the 70 local families who lost their homes and home libraries in that fire.

She says she was “also part of the black Saturday fires. I was living just out of Horsham, one kilometre from where that fire started, which destroyed Horsham golf club and surrounding houses”.

This is Helen Davidson taking over the blog for the rest of the day.

The RACV says ongoing mobile coverage issues are affecting callouts for RACV emegency roadside assistance. This applies to Mallacoota, Bairnsdale, Orbost, Lakes Entrance, Bruthen and Corryong.

Members needing emergency assistance should contact 000.

The prime minister Scott Morrison has just announced the payments for volunteer firefighters will be extended to Queensland. It matches the payments offered to NSW last week.

Morrison says it’s available to any state that asks for it.

Updated

In that press conference, Victorian emergency commissioner Andrew Crisp also went into more detail about what the defence force would do to help.

One of their jobs will be to undertake “initial impact assessments” throughout East Gippsland. That will help the CFA count the cost and damage of the fires.

“We expect those additional Australian defence force people to be on the ground tomorrow working with our Metropolitan Fire Brigade,” he said.

Another role is still under discussion, but the ADF could help support isolated communities, with new airplanes and helicopters brought in.

“We’ve formalised two requests through Emergency Management Australia to the Australian defence force,” Crisp said. “”We’ve also been working through what some first support from the ADF could look like.

“We will continue to work through that with the ADF and they’ve assured us they’ll provide whatever support they can”.

Updated

'Buck stops with me' on minister's absence – Berejiklian

It has been pointed out that the NSW emergency services minister, David Elliott, announced on Friday he would be going on holiday to Europe.

He promised he would receive two briefings a day, and would return should the bushfire situation “demand it”. At a press conference on Tuesday, the NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, deflected questions about the minister’s whereabouts.

“At the end of the day, the buck stops with me,” she said. “I’m the premier.”

Berejiklian noted the acting minister, the prisons minister Anthony Roberts, was with her. “I feel completely supported,” she said.

Elliott announced his holiday shortly after the prime minister, Scott Morrison, apologised for flying out to Hawaii during the bushfire crisis. Morrison subsequently returned home early. The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, returned from holiday yesterday as fires burned out of control in the state’s east.

Two people were confirmed dead at Cobargo – believed to be father and son – and grave fears are held for a third west of Narooma.

On Tuesday, Berejilkian would not be drawn on Elliott’s role. “I ask everybody to focus on what’s important – protecting life and property.”

Guardian Australia has contacted Elliott’s office.

Updated

Fire front 'bypasses' Mallacoota

CFA chief officer Steve Warrington has some “relatively good news” for Mallacoota.

“The wind change has gone through and the major fire front has now bypassed that town,” he says.

“I understand there was a public cheer down at the jetty when that was announced. So that is good news for us.

“But having said that, there are still active fires in that area and they’re still actively extinguishing houses that have burnt down on the outskirts of Mallacoota.”

He also adds that the town now remains isolated, which is a concern.

It’s a similar state in Corryong – the main fire front has passed but the town is still isolated and ringed by fire.

Updated

Victoria’s emergency commissioner, Andrew Crisp, is speaking now.

He confirms that there are at least 43 buildings destroyed in East Gippsland. That’s 19 structures at Sarsfield, and 24 structures at Buchan.

That counting was done by helicopter, and there will be more confirmed destroyed properties to come.

“Because this has been done by the air, it’s difficult at times to determine whether it’s actually a house or a large shed or an outbuilding,” Crisp says.

“We still have a dynamic and dangerous fire condition. We still have eight emergency warnings in the state.

“To demonstrate how dynamic it still is, there’s been a band of lightning come through the state in recent times. And we’ve got about 12-15 new fires that have started in the Jamieson/Halcourt area.”

Updated

Berejiklian says she supports Sydney’s fireworks going ahead tonight.

She acknowledges the “mixed feelings” on the issue, but says “on balance I understand the decision to proceed, and on balance I support that decision”.

“I think no matter where you are, up and down the coast, inland or in the larger cities, including Sydney, all our thoughts are with the people who are suffering.”

The fireworks “don’t take away from our empathy for people who are doing it tough”.

On those earlier reports by Sky News that NSW transport minister Andrew Constance was missing, Berejiklian says it was a communication issue.

The ABC later contacted Constance by phone and confirmed he was OK.

“Unfortunately, for many people in southern New South Wales, telecommunications is an issue at the moment there,” Berejiklian said. “There are a number of phone towers damaged. There are a number of people who don’t have phone reception.

“Because of the damage to phone towers and also lack of reception in some of the remote communities, it is difficult to contact everybody at this time.”

RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons also spoke and said there will be a “heavy toll” in terms of property damage.

“We need to brace ourselves for a considerable number of properties, a considerable number of homes that are likely to have been damaged and or destroyed right across these eight emergency warning fire areas, given the extraordinary nature of the fire behaviour and fire spread today.”

Police found the two men deceased in a house in the west of Cobargo, says NSW police deputy commissioner Gary Worboys.

The two men were residents of the town, and were father and son.

They are still trying to access a house west of Narooma, where a man is missing.

“Unfortunately we think the news in that house will not be good either,” Worboys says. An elderly man was reported to police as living in that house.

Two people dead in Cobargo

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian is speaking now and has confirmed that two people have died in Cobargo.

“It’s been confirmed today that there are two deceased persons in Cobargo,” she said. “The police have confirmed that. A third person is missing with grave concerns for their safety, west of Narooma. Our message is please follow instructions.”

Our photo editor, Jessica Hromas, has put together this composite showing the main street of Cobargo, before and after the fires.

The Princes Hwy, Cobargo, NSW, Australia before and after the bushfires have destroyed a number of businesses, 31 December 2019.
The Princes Hwy, Cobargo, NSW, Australia before and after the bushfires have destroyed a number of businesses, 31 December 2019. Composite: Google Maps/Twitter

Updated

Mogo Zoo animals safe

Earlier today, there were grave fears for the Mogo Zoo in NSW, only a few kilometres from the out-of-control fires that are currently destroying homes in Batemans Bay.

None of the animals had time to be evacuated, and the zoo has Australia’s largest collection of primates, as well as lions, tigers and zebras.

Just now zoo director Chad Staples has said all the animals are safe. Those that were small enough – monkeys and red pandas – were scooped up and taken inside.

“Right now in my house there’s animals of all description in all the different rooms,” Staples told the ABC. “Due to the amazing staff here, and a well executed plan, no one is hurt. Not a single animal lost.”

“What we did with the dangerous animals – lions, tigers, orangutans – is we encouraged them to the night den, kept them calm, like nothing was happening, and we were able to protect them at that site.

“The only animals we saw any signs of stress are the giraffe and zebra at a couple of points.”

And the conditions are also easing.

“We were putting fires out on site, a couple of hours ago it felt like armageddon,” said Staples. “But right now we feel like we have got a reprieve, the wind changed and we were able to get on top of it.”

Updated

Former journalist Peter Logue and former diplomat Zena Armstrong were at home at Coolagolite outside Cobargo early this morning, “dithering about what to do” according to Logue.

“Then we got a phone call from a local farmer, a long term resident, at about 4.30am and he just said ‘Get out now’, so we left, and as we went outside the red glow was right behind the house, that was the fire that came over the back of us and swept through into Cobargo.”

Their children and a guest found a way to drive through to Canberra. Logue and Armstrong drove to the coast to Bermagui to help defend the home of Armstrong’s mother and step father.

“The RFS and the police were driving around the streets of Bermagui with a loud speaker saying ‘evacuate now, evacuate now’. It was dark like night time and raining burning embers and leaves.

“We evacuated the oldies down to the beach, and then we went back to try to prepare the house...but then the weather changed, the fire started its own weather system, it went from hot wind to really cold, and it started raining..and in the end the fire front didn’t eventuate.”

Logue spoke to Guardian Australia from Bermagui beach where the RFS had just given a briefing at the surf life savers’ club.

“The whole south coast water treatment system is down so we have to boil water, Woolworths is packed with people buying water and emergency supplies, the cafes are all closed because they’ve run out of food, and there’s only one way out to Narooma, but you can’t get any further than there.”

Logue and Armstrong don’t know if there home is still standing. The fire has destroyed much of Cobargo and two residents are missing, in what could be “potential fatalities” according to RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons.

Both Logue and Armstrong are musicians, organisers of the Cobargo folk festival. They have saved their musical instruments, half a dozen bottles of Clonakilla and a bottle of good Irish whisky.

“We are staying here for now,” Logue said. “It looks like a refugee camp down here at the beach, a yuppie refugee camp, with horse floats and people staying in their cars.”

Updated

And quite shocking footage of a shopping centre filled with flames in Batemans Bay.

Updated

Rapid escalation of the Currowan fire near Sussex Inlet in NSW. ABC reporter Selby Stewart said observers “had to flee” as a spot fire “became an inferno in minutes”.

Updated

Albanese has also criticised the City of Sydney’s fireworks scheduled tonight.

“I understand how important the fireworks are for their economy, but I just think at a time like this – I’m not in a position to judge – but I think that it’s really problematic that it’s going ahead. That’s a decision for others.”

When asked about Labor’s support for coal, he says “now is not the time to answer questions like that”.

Asked when the time is, Albanese says “I have been talking about climate change ... The truth is that simplistic slogans won’t solve this ... we need to respond to climate change with serious policy, not with slogans.”

Updated

The federal opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, is speaking now from the Woodford folk festival, where he is about to give a speech paying tribute to Bob Hawke.

He has paid tribute to Samuel McPaul, the volunteer firefighter who died last night, and says the fire is a national crisis that “requires a national response from the government”.

“We are seeing in the very least dozens, but perhaps hundreds of homes lost... This fire does not respect state boundaries. And I again say this is a national issue. This is a national emergency. And it requires a national response from the government.”

Albanese adds that people need to listen to the warnings of their local fire authority.

“It’s a reminder of how important the ABC is and the role that it plays in keeping Australians safe,” he says.

Updated

Reports of homes lost in Batemans Bay, NSW.

Updated

Up north, closer to Nowra, residents near Sussex Inlet are evacuating towards the NSW coast, as fires are attacking the Princes Highway in both north and south directions.

Meanwhile, back in Victoria:

Updated

Photos coming in of houses now on fire in Mallacoota.

Despite some speculation in the last few minutes, the NSW transport minister, Andrew Constance, is not missing in the fires.

Just 10 minutes ago, Sky News tweeted that Constance was “unaccounted for” in the NSW fires.

But the ABC in Canberra then confirmed they had just spoken to the minister.

Reporter Jordan Hayne said: “I just spoke with Andrew Constance, he is not interested in speaking to the media, but confirmed he is ok for now at least.”

Updated

Here’s the scene in Cobargo, NSW, where the main street has been ravaged by fire and two people are missing.

The Princes Hwy in Cobargo, after bushfires destroyed a number of businesses.
The Princes Highway in Cobargo, after bushfires destroyed a number of businesses. Photograph: Twitter

Updated

On ABC Radio Gippsland we’ve just heard from a local man, Graham.

“We saw a big burst of very big flames in Shady Gully,” he said. “As I speak to you I’m looking across Coull’s Inlet and there are big flames… and they would be impacting houses… Oh wow, that’s not good at all.”

Graham was looking across the centre of town, and said the people on the jetty would be able to see what he’s seeing.

Updated

In Tasmania, there are fears that homes have been lost in fires that flared to emergency level yesterday and continue today.

The temperature hit 40C in the state on Monday, and the Pelham fire, 50km north of Hobart, reached emergency. Today cooler conditions allowed firefighters to bring it under control.

“Seventy per cent of the fire ground has been assessed. We’ve got some structural losses,” the TFS chief officer, Chris Arnol, said.

“We’re not sure if any homes have been lost. It could be sheds, it could be homes, we don’t know. Access is difficult with that fire, with smoke conditions and some power infrastructure down.”

Arnol said a “significant” number of structures in the area had been saved.

Dry lightning sparked both fires, with the Bureau of Meteorology recording more than 400 ground strikes.

Updated

Kate Bruton and her family experienced how unsafe it was at Swan Reach first-hand.

They were staying with Bruton’s mother at Cabbage Tree for Christmas but decided to evacuate yesterday when they saw the columns of smoke from the Barmouth Spur and W Tree fires.

“We stopped at Orbost first and Orbost was full at the evacuation centre, and it was the same at Lakes Entrance,” Bruton said.

It looked like “armageddon,” she said. “I have been in bushfires all my life... it was unimaginable.” They were advised to drive on to Bairnsdale but got stuck when the Princes Highway closed both ahead and behind them at Swan Reach. The closure was not reported on the VicEmergency or VicTraffic app until after they were stuck.

They parked the caravan near a river and watched embers fall around them, but luckily the road opened and they made it to Bairnsdale.

Everyone at the park had been friendly and helping each other, Bruton said. “As horrible as this is, it is nice.”

Updated

Hundreds of people, both locals and tourists, evacuated from Lakes Entrance spent the night at Howitt Park. It is not an official evacuation point, but many locals told Guardian Australia they were not sure where the official evacuation centre was.

Cars were parked bumper to bumper overnight but most had gone by midday, with people taking advantage of the brief window in which the Princes Highway was open to get back to their homes.

Among those who remain are Kelly Lane and her 10-year-old son, Connor. They left their home in Swan Reach, which is just over halfway between Lakes Entrance and Bairnsdale, late yesterday when their fire advice went from a watch and act to an emergency alert. The call to leave came from a local man who was driving down the street in his tractor bellowing at residents to evacuate.

Lane bought a tent this morning – they didn’t have time last night and another evacuee said Kmart had sold out of tents – and plan to stay at Howitt Park again tonight.

“It is still unsafe around my place,” Lane said.

Updated

This photo from Mallacoota is being widely shared on social media. Taken by a resident, it shows a family out on a boat escaping the fire, in the middle of the day.

And read this fuller report on the situation in Mallacoota from Helen Davidson.

People reported hearing gas bottles explode as the fire front reached the town, and the sound of sirens telling people to get in the water.

The CFA incident controller Ben Rankin has just been on ABC Radio in East Gippsland.

He says that fire is moving around to Orbost, and that in Mallacoota there “have been quite a number of houses impacted”.

“It is not a day to relax at all,” Rankin said. “It is a day to adhere to the warnings that are coming out.”

Updated

Navy supply ships could be brought in – Andrews

The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, confirmed on Tuesday morning he had requested Australian Defence Force assistance as fires burned throughout the state’s east, threatening homes and lives.

He said he had spoken by text message with the prime minister, Scott Morrison, to discuss additional support, such as the use of the navy to help provide food, water and power to isolated communities.

“We’ve made some requests to the (Australian Defence Force) for their support, both in terms of making damage assessments but also some of these isolated communities can be accessed by sea,” he said.

“We have a range of plans in place ourselves but there may be ways the ADF can support us.”

He added: “There’s a prospect of whatever ADF support that can be provided we’ll be happy to use it. And we’re having detailed discussions with ADF to discuss how to best use their resources.”

Asked what form the additional military assistance might take and whether naval supply ships might be involved, Andrews said: “That type of thing. I wouldn’t be specific to the point of ruling anything out.

“There’s some choppers for instance, they’ve got some aircraft that are bigger. They’ve got a range of things that they can support us with.”

Victoria has also asked for 70 firefighters from Canada and the United States, Andrews confirmed.

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews during a press conference on Tuesday to provide the latest update on the bushfire crisis
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews during a press conference on Tuesday to provide the latest update on the bushfire crisis. Photograph: Ellen Smith/AAP

Updated

Matt Manning is out on a boat, 3km from Mallacoota, waiting out the fires. He tells me there are about 30 boats out there with him, his partner, their two friends, and his dog. Most of them are locals.

“I packed the boat and prepared the boat yesterday morning. I left it tied up in the water ready to bail, and we sat it out – we were camping in the foreshore camp park. We sat it out hour by hour, and about one o’clock decided to go down to the boat until we decided to bail out to the lake.

“The glow in the sky was just unreal. We decided to pull the pin at about three o’clock. We’re pretty safe here, hopefully we don’t get any hot embers. There’s a lot of debris and ash but so far there’s no hot embers. Winds about 30-40 knots coming from the south.

“I’ve got two mates who stayed at the camp park, they didn’t want to come with us. They said they’re fine, they’re country boys and have fought a few fires. I spoke to them about 10 minutes ago, and they’re fine. A few tents have gone up.”

Barry Wear, who is camped in a caravan outside the Bairnsdale relief centre, has just heard some good news. He lives at Sarsfield, one of the communities that Daniel Andrews confirmed was hardest hit by the bushfires. About 20 houses have been lost, Wear says. But, as of this morning, his house is not one of them.

“I was sure last night that I had lost my house but this morning a neighbour knocked on my door and said my house was safe,” he said.

“I don’t know how. My house, which is cedar, and my shed with all my tools in it are still standing, but my garage – well it’s really a machinery shed – which is metal, that melted.”

Wear lives on High Street in Sarsfield and said he had been told by those who remained that all the houses on their street were safe. Others were not so lucky. Heggars Road was heavily impacted, he says.

Wear said he would not return home until it was safe. Fires are still burning around the town.

“I just brought the essentials with me,” he says, which includes two dogs and three guitars. “I have enough food in the fridge and two casks of wine. Well, one – I finished one last night.”

Updated

Along with thousands of other Canberrans, I am holidaying on the NSW south coast – as I have done ever year since I can remember. At 6am I was woken by a text to evacuate. We fled south to Moruya, with nearby Mogo – perhaps 5km from the sea – alight. We had been warned that today would be bad, but the overnight fire spread exceeded the worst estimations.

The otherwise sleepy town of Moruya was soon bustling with locals and holidaymakers, dazed and concerned as we saw the giant smoke front head in our direction. People were glued to their phones, constantly refreshing the live fire map, wondering if their house was burning while we were stranded in the car parks, green spaces and the public pool of Moruya, helpless. As the sky became darker the mood soured; at one point we could see flames speed down a ridge in the distance.

But amid the gloom, there were bright spots of humanity. The pool gave out ice creams, a local Thai restaurant cooked free meals. Strangers swapped anecdotes and the latest information.

For decades, Canberrans and locals have made happy summer memories on the south coast. Now we are stuck in a nightmare.

Moruya on the NSW south coast
Moruya on the NSW south coast on Tuesday. Photograph: Kieran Pender/The Guardian

Updated

Apocalyptic scenes in Batemans Bay on the NSW south coast. Residents huddled on the beach similar to Mallacoota in Victoria.

Fitzsimmons also says that fires are stretching all the way from Nowra to the Victorian border.

And the southerly change coming will make things worse, spreading fires – previously heading east – in a northerly direction. This poses “an additional threat” to populations, he says.

The scope of these fires is huge.

“Anywhere from Nowra down to the Victorian border, right out to places like Tumut and Tumbarumba, across the ranges – we’re seeing aggressive and dangerous fire behaviour,” Fitzsimmons says.

This is Naaman Zhou taking over the blog from Luke Henriques-Gomes, who has done some incredible work today.

In that press conference, the NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, also confirmed there was “significant impact, damage and destruction” on the NSW south coast, including schools hit by fire.

“We’re seeing fire impacting onto communities, people’s homes and other infrastructure,” he said, in towns like Cobargo, Broulee, Mogo and Fishermans Paradise.

“We’ve had reports of schools impacted. We’ve had reports of businesses and some of the small town centres being impacted by these fires.”

Updated

Shane Fitzsimmons is asked if this is the worst bushfire season on record for New South Wales.

He replies: “Yes. Absolutely.”

Updated

Three people unaccounted for in NSW in 'potential fatalities'

Fitzsimmons says there are three people unaccounted for on the south coast. That is two people at Cobargo and one at Belowra.

These are “potential fatalities” and it is believed that these people were “impacted by the fire”.

It is not yet safe to access the scene and so authorities cannot provide more information.

Updated

Fitzsimmons says NSW authorities have no plans for evacuations by water at this stage but they are watching the situation.

Some updates from people on the ground in Mallacoota.

And this was posted a little earlier – and it involves a lot of swearing.

Updated

From the Victorian premier’s press conference earlier.

Updated

Fitzsimmons says there is a fire burning right across the Princes Highway towards Batemans Bay.

We have been seeing some very concerning images coming out of that popular holiday spot.

Updated

The NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, is addressing the media.

There are eight fires burning at emergency level right now, he says.

The most impacted areas, according to reports, are Cobargo, Broulee to Mogo and Fishermans Paradise.

Updated

More from the Cobargo area.

Meanwhile, in NSW, there are some concerning images from Bateman’s Bay.

What we know so far

Here is what we know so far.

  • 16 fires are burning at emergency level across Australia, eight in Victoria and eight in NSW, with the entire East Gippsland region under an emergency alert.
  • One firefighter has died overnight, and others injured, in a “freakish weather event” near Albury, described as a “fire tornado” that overturned a 10-tonne truck on flat, stable ground.
  • In Victoria, four people are missing, and premier Daniel Andrews said authorities “have real fears for their safety”.
  • 4,000 residents have been evacuated from the town of Mallacoota and are sheltering on the foreshore, as the firefront hit properties this morning. Photos taken from 9am showed the sky pitch black.
  • Victoria’s emergency services commissioner, Andrew Crisp, confirmed “significant property losses across all of East Gippsland”.
  • 5,700 homes are without power in East Gippsland, and more than 200,000ha have been burned.
  • 200 new fires started on Monday, and 60 new fires started from midnight until now. These conditions were worse than predicted, and the bureau of meteorology will be updating its forecast to be worse than originally thought.
  • In NSW, residents of Cobargo were evacuated as the firefront reached the town and impacted homes.
  • People in bushfire prone areas between Batemans Bay and Bega, and also the south coast town of Tathra, have also been told to evacuate.

Updated

Robert Jackson, and his mother and sister, left his 15-acre farm at Bumberrah late Monday after repeated calls from friends and family telling him to get out. “Eventually I thought: fine! I’m leaving! You can stop calling me.

“With him he brought five chickens, two kittens, an adult cat, three Jack Russell terriers, and two cattle dogs. The whole group camped out together across two Land Rovers and a small tent outside the Bairnsdale relief centre. Hundreds of people spent the night inside.

“The chickens seem to be happy, they are still laying eggs,” he said.As of 11am, they have laid three legs.”

He has heard from neighbours that the fire, which significantly impacted Bumberrah, skipped over their place. He plans to return once the road is open.

Updated

While the focus today has been on the emergencies in Victoria and NSW, there is also a fire threat in Tasmania, where firefighters worked through the night to protect about 20 properties.

This video was posted on Facebook about 11am. Taken by a resident and sent to their neighbour who has posted it online.

Crisp says there have been 200,000ha burnt or burning across East Gippsland. Separately, it’s been reported there are about 20,000 homes without power in Victoria.

Crisp says there wasn’t an evacuation order for Mallacoota (while other towns were evacuated over Sunday and Monday). They couldn’t move out of the town because of fires in the west, and to the north-east in NSW.

Andrews says the Victorian government has requested assistance from 70 fire fighters from the US and Canada.

Updated

Andrews says he has asked the prime minister for assistance from the defence force this morning. The two spoke via text message today.

Warrington is asked what will happen to those who did not evacuate to the foreshore at Mallacoota.

He says people in the town were briefed and knew that they were to move to the beach when sirens sounded. That occurred at 8am.

Fire crews will not be sent to isolated communities, he says.

Those that did not move to the beach were “taking their chances”.

There are homes being lost in and around Mallacoota “as we speak”.

Updated

A number of homes have been lost in Mallacoota, but the town is still under attack, CFA chief officer Steve Warrington says.

The town is “pitch black” but three strike teams are standing side by side to protect those who have evacuated to the beach front.

“It is quite scary in that community. The community right now is under threat but we will hold our line and they will be safe and protected.”

Updated

The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews says there are four people in the state who are unaccounted for.

“And of course we have fears for their safety,” he says.

'Significant' property losses, four people missing: Victorian authorities

Crisp says there has been “significant property” losses across East Gippsland.

He names towns including Sarsfield, Buchan and Gelantipy.

The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews says there are four people in the state who are unaccounted for.

“And of course we have fears for their safety,” he says.

He declines to say where but notes they were in active fire environments.

Updated

Crisp turns to Mallacoota, which is he says is facing an ember attack right now. He confirms there are 4,000 people on the beach who are being protected by firefighters there.

Updated

Crisp pays respect to NSW RFS volunteer Samuel McPaul, who died yesterday.

He says in the north-east of Victoria, there have been property losses in at a town near Kooriyong. Kooriyong is being impacted by the fire which ran 30km last night.

Updated

The Victorian emergency management commissioner, Andrew Crisp, is addressing media.

He says there were 200 new fires yesterday, and 60 new fires that started after midnight.

More than 200 horses spent the night in Bairnsdale saleyards last night while their worried owners camped at the nearby evacuation centre or found other places to lay their swags in town.

Melanie McCann and her 15-year-old daughter Gabrielle spent the night on the floor of her workplace in town while fire threatened their property at Nicholson. They moved three horses into the saleyards at 11.30am on Monday and helped a neighbour move theirs. They learned from that same neighbour this morning that their house had been spared.

“We came into town ourselves about 4.30pm and my husband came in at 6pm ... no point putting anyone in danger if they don’t need to be. The saleyards have been providing free board, and in some cases feed, for displaced stock for several days. Some horses have come from as far away as Omeo. There are cattle, goats, sheep, and even a watchful maremma in the yards.

Johanna Toohey moved four of her horses off her property just north of Bairnsdale, in the path of the Barmouth Spur Fire, on Saturday. They came to the saleyards on Sunday. She spent the night on the floor of a rental property she owns in Bairnsdale, which just happened to be vacant.

“There was no furniture, no power, but it was somewhere to be safe.”

An irate sheep, which she also brought into town along with her dog and cats, spent the night bellowing in the backyard. She returned to get them at 4.30pm, when the column of smoke was looming over the town, then turned the sprinklers on and left. She packed so quickly that she had to make a late-night trip to Kmart to buy underwear.

“My home is safe,” she said. “I have got no water left because I used it all ... there is not a drop of water in the house.

Updated

Updated

This photo was posted about an hour ago at Cobargo in the Bega Valley, NSW.

Updated

There are now seven emergency warnings in place in NSW and eight in Victoria.

Samuel McPaul’s colleagues have paid tribute to a “beautiful young man” who loved “putting the community first”.

McPaul, who leaves behind a wife and child due in May, was a skilled mechanic and avid basketballer, who worked as a coach for local kids.

“He did everything for the right reasons,” an RFS spokesman said. “His mother Christine is a wonderful woman who raised him and raised a really good son there.

“He gave a lot of his time to basketball in the area. He was a representative player for Wagga and was actually, at the time, undertaking a fair bit of training and coaching for the kids. Basically, he was putting the community first and what we saw yesterday was just a very unfortunate price to pay for putting the community first.”

“He had a degree in biology or zoology, and then decided to take his hand to being a mechanic,” his RFS colleagues said. “He was a very good mechanic that worked for one of our service providers in Culcairn. And it’s a sad day, when you think about it, Sam probably serviced one of those trucks that he was on and it would have been in good order.

“It is a sad thing for the community, the community of Culcairn, Holbrook and even the greater community.”

Two emergency warnings issued in NSW over the past half hour.

Firefighters in Albury have provided more details on the tragic loss of Samuel McPaul, the volunteer firefighter and soon-to-be father, who died last night.

An RFS spokesman said the truck was hit by a “freakish weather event that had to be seen to be believed”, best described as a “fire tornado”.

McPaul and his crew were sent to a fire in the upper Murray, started by a lightning strike, that grew so large it created its own weather system, known as a pyrocumulonimbus.

“That cloud became very unstable,” the spokesman said. “It had a height of around about 8,000 metres and unfortunately, it appears to have collapsed during yesterday’s deteriorating weather, causing erratic fire behaviour and erratic winds at the foot of the fire in all directions.

“We had a crew working in a paddock that were trying to muster up some cattle that were caught in the corner of the paddock. They were only 50 metres from a gate that they entered and they were on flat ground with very low fuel.

“The crew decided to move away from that area and, quite unexpectedly, very suddenly, they experienced extreme winds, and what could only be described as a fire tornado, that lifted the back of the truck, fully inverted it and landed it on its roof, trapping three people, three crew that is, and unfortunately, one of them fatally.”

The conditions were so “freakish”, that veteran firefighters couldn’t believe what they had seen, the spokesman said.

“Sam was a 28-year-old firefighter ... He was trained and doing everything right on the day when something went wrong and it’s just incredibly unfortunate what happened.

“The driver was a veteran captain of 35 years-plus experience and after speaking with him in hospital last night, he said the ground he was on was safe.

“He thought he was in the right spot, and just this freakish weather event, that would have to be seen to be believed, and even then other veteran firefighters don’t believe what they saw, engulfed that vehicle with flame, and strong winds and literally picked up an 8-tonne truck and flipped it over.”

Updated

Updates from Mallacoota.

Updated

The prime minister, Scott Morrison, has issued this statement on the death of 28-year-old volunteer firefighter Samuel McPaul.

Last night we tragically lost another volunteer firefighter, in terrible circumstances in Jingellic, New South Wales.

Sam McPaul was a brave firefighter and a member of the Morven Rural Fire Brigade.

In one of the cruellest developments, Sam and his wife Megan are due to have their first baby next year.

I cannot imagine the terrible sense of loss and grief that Sam’s family are now feeling.

I have spoken to Megan to extend my deepest sympathies and our love and support at this terrible time and express that same sentiment on behalf of the entire country. Sam McPaul was the best of us.

This is devastating news and I also extend my sincere condolences to his entire family, friends and fellow brigade members.

It is an unimaginable loss and one felt by the entire country.

A further three firefighters were injured in the same incident, one severely.

Our thoughts are with these brave firefighters and their families in this difficult time. We wish those in hospital a fast and full recovery.

The firefighters were working on the Green Valley, Talmalmo Fire, approximately 70km east of Albury when extreme winds flipped their truck and a second vehicle.

They were doing what thousands of other volunteer firefighters are doing around Australia, and have been doing for months – selflessly and bravely protecting their local communities. For that, the nation is incredibly grateful.

The devastating impact of these terrible bushfires is continuing. This week, [there are] fires in South Australia and Tasmania, brutal fires in Victoria and, of course, the fires rolling on in New South Wales, many at emergency levels.

As these fires continue to rage, the response continues to be run and well-led at a state level. We will continue to provide every support to those state firefighting agencies through the Commonwealth.

In particular, through the support of the Australian Defence Force. These are well-resourced, well-coordinated, well-responded to fires.

I thank all of those who are directly involved out there on the fire grounds and the teams supporting them behind the scenes.

This will continue to be a significant effort in the days and the weeks ahead and I fear, in the months to come.

We are expecting more difficult news out of New South Wales and Victoria today as the assessments are undertaken of the terrible fires from yesterday and last night.

I am closely monitoring the situation in all states and I am receiving regular daily briefing on all emerging issues. I am also in regular contact with the premiers and fire authorities.

I have seen the impact and devastation of these fires first hand, but I have also seen communities pulling together and caring for each other with a remarkable spirit. This is the Australian way.

We have stood up and responded to these terrible disasters before and we have come through the other side. We will rebuild and we will stay strong.

I urge all Australians to continue to listen to the warnings from the authorities and take care.

To those fighting these fires; please be safe, and continue to pull together in this difficult time. Your country is behind you every step of the way.

Updated

And others are taking shelter on the beach on the NSW South Coast.

Updated

At 11am, the Victoria premier, Daniel Andrews, will address the media with emergency services officials.

It was reported yesterday evening that Andrews returned from holiday due to the fires.

Mark tells ABC Gippsland there is about 5,000 down at the main boat ramp and community centre. The town was pitch black but half the sky is now red. The line is crackling.

There are ambulances and fire brigades patrolling the area. “The car park is just completely chockers with vehicles.”

Winterson says she knows that her house won’t survive. “I’ve just accepted that.” She earlier ABC Gippsland her home was right in the centre of the fire path.

She now says there is now zero visibility and glowing embers. “It’s starting to look like fireworks night.”

She says her brick building of the radio studio is fairly new.

“It has a metal roof. The only wood is withinthe internal structure. We have double glazing on the studio windows. And we will be keeping all internal doors shut. We’ve got as much chance, really, as anybody else at the moment and now the ember attack is really starting to... It’s starting to look like fireworks night.”

'I'm just watching my town burn': Fire hits Mallacoota

Francesca Winterson, who is a presenter on a local radio station in Mallacoota, is speaking on ABC News now.

“We’ve been broadcasting for 48 hours without a break and we’re all very tired,” she says. “Now we are here in the station and I’m just watching my town burn.”

“I’m now seeing live ash burning down the main street and landing into the dry.”

She is asked if she needs to leave the call.

“I can’t go anywhere.”

Updated

I have been speaking with Kelly, who is on the beach at Mallacoota. She says there are about 20 boats around her. The family beside her has a nine-month-old baby.

“It’s dark and gloomy with burning embers seen out here in the past hour,” she said.

“We can see flashing lights towards Mallacoota but no visible flames as yet. It’s strange how we got here at four yesterday afternoon and it was stinking hot and now it’s bloody cold.

“That has caught a lot of people out by not having the right clothing. We [came] out in our little boat with my wife and two boys and three dogs. Luckily for us we have a big swag so we are out of the weather slightly.

Updated

There is a new emergency warning in place for Cabbage Tree Creek.

This Emergency Warning is being issued for Cabbage Tree Creek and Brodribb River and surrounds, Bellbird Creek, Bete Bolong, Cape Conran, Corringle, Jarrahmond, Manorina, Marlo, Murrungowar, Newmerella, Nurran, Orbost, Simpsons Creek, Tabbara, Waygara.

  • This bushfire is approximately 4km from Cabbage Tree Creek heading in a North Easterly direction, the fire front is halfway between Brodribb River and Cabbage Tree. The fire is about to cross the Princes Highway.
  • This bushfire could impact Cabbage Tree any time within the next 30 minutes.
  • Ash and embers are falling in nearby communities which can potentially start spot fires.
  • The Princes Highway is closed between Bairnsdale and Genoa.
  • The wind has shifted to a south-westerly direction.
  • This fire is threatening homes and lives.
  • The Orbost Cricket Club in Nicholson Street has been set up as an assembly area for those in nearby communities who wish to gather within the township if you do not have any safer options.

Updated

Further to the caller to ABC Gippsland who confirmed homes lost in Sarsfield, there have been images coming out of that town.

In Mallacoota, 4,000 residents have been evacuated to the foreshore as they wait for the fire to hit. Some locals have told ABC Radio that the town is already being impacted. Others are sheltering at the community centre.

Those in the town have reported that it is pitch black, aside from flashing lights. They have reported sirens are blaring.

Across East Gippsland, there are 5,700 homes without power.

Updated

In the Blue Mountains.

On ABC Radio Gippsland, Joe says he has driven through Sarsfield, north of Lakes Entrance, and near Bruthen. The power and phone lines are down in Bruthen.

He says: “I was just shocked with what I saw. There seems to be quite a few houses burned. There were still ... trees and hay sheds on fire.

“I was just feeling relieved for myself but in total shock for the people who’ve suffered losses [of property]. If there have been no serious injuries or deaths that’s just a miracle.”

Updated

Really frightening updates from Mallacoota.

People in Mallacoota have been providing updates on Twitter.

Authorities have updated the emergency warning for Mallacoota. It says:

This Emergency Warning is being issued for Mallacoota, Gipsy Point, Karbeethong, Tamboon, Club Terrace, Combienbar and surrounds.

    • There are currently two bushfires that are not yet under control.
    • One fire is currently travelling from Wingan River in an easterly direction towards Karbeethong with spotting ahead of the fire. The fire front is predicted to impact the Mallacoota township within the next 30 minutes.
    • The second fire is travelling from Goongerah in a south-easterly direction towards Chandlers Creek
    • Ash and embers are falling ahead of the main fires, which may cause spot fires.

Updated

Nationals MP Darren Chester, who represents Gippsland, says he just got off the phone with a friend in the fire-threatened town of Mallacoota.

He tells the ABC: “I was talking to a mate in Mallacoota, he says it’s like midnight there, it’s pitch black. They have a lot of smoke. They have embers falling.

“At this stage he was saying to me that they are burnt leaves, not direct embers in terms of likely to start new fires, but they’re in the firing line, so to speak, and along the south coast there’s more issues.”

A few more points from Shane Fitzsimmons’ press briefing.

  • 100 fires are burning in NSW, including five at emergency level, concentrated in southern NSW.
  • The fires were “extraordinary” overnight, exceeding predictions. BoM will update forecast to be worse than original prediction.

Updated

The full quote from Shane Fitzsimmons earlier:

Our hearts are breaking for Sam’s family, for his colleagues in the region and the entire southern border team, but right across the firefighting and emergency services family.

To lose one of our own in such extraordinary circumstances is tragic and tragic is an understatement.

Fitzsimmons gives more details on the accident yesterday.

He says crews at the scene described the winds that tipped McPaul’s truck as a “fire tornado”, which resulted in “cyclonic winds” that moved across the fire ground and lifted up a 10 tonne fire truck and flipped it on the roof.

Those inside were trapped, and McPaul was killed in the process.

“I have to pay my respects and admiration to Sam’s fellow crew and those that stayed behind,” Fitzsimmons said. “They weren’t leaving Sam there until police and, of course, the local fire and rescue crew, who so professionally and with respect and dignity worked with police to ensure Sam got out of the vehicle wreckage and was transported away from that fire scene.”

Fitzsimmons says three other volunteers were injured. Two have been released from hospital, but a third is at the Prince Alfred Hospital in Melbourne with serious injuries, including burns.

Updated

Volunteer Samuel McPaul, 28, killed in Albury yesterday, NSW RFS confirms

Shane Fitzsimmons, the NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner, confirms the man killed at Albury yesterday is 28-year-old Samuel McPaul.

Fitzsimmons says McPaul, of Holbrook, was “well respected and admired throughout the local community and in his local brigade”.

He leaves behind his wife, Megan, who is pregnant with their first child, due 4 May. The couple married 18 months ago.

“Our hearts are breaking for Sam’s family,” Fitzsimmons says.

Updated

Turning her attention to the current fire threat, the premier says the South Coast and southern NSW is “under heavy threat” today.

She notes there are five fires at emergency level this early in the day.

“There will be road closures in southern NewSouth Wales due to the fires,” she says.

“We need everybody to act as responsibly as possible, as cautiously as possible, and please don’t think you’re the expert. Take the experts’ advice. We don’t want anyone to get in harm’s way. Your actions may unintentionally harm so many others. That’s the last thing we want to see today.”

Updated

The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian is speaking now to the media.

She extends her condolences to the NSW RFS volunteer who died in a truck accident at Albury-Wodonga yesterday.

Three others were injured, she says.

The premier says the RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons spent the night supporting the family of the volunteer who was killed.

Also within the past hour, an alert was issued for Bendoc, Bonang, Cabanandra, Club Terrace, Combienbar, Deddick Valley, Delegate River, Dellicknora, Errinundra, Goongerah, Haydens Bog, Nurran, Roaring Camp, Tubbut, Yalmy.

This relates to the bushfire west of Goongerah and south-west of Bonang, which is not yet under control.

  • There are reports of active fire in multiple locations in the Goongerah Valley.
  • Fire activity is erratic and unpredictable. This fire is threatening homes and lives.
  • Reports of ember attack have been reported in the township of Goongerah.
  • The south-westerly wind change is not expected until early Tuesday morning which will push the fire in a north-easterly direction.

Updated

Let’s drill down into some of those emergency warnings in Victoria that I mentioned earlier.

At 7:14am, an emergency warning was issued for Bruthen and surrounds.

  • There is a bushfire at Bruthen and surrounds that is out of control.
  • The fire has created a large smoke column and is dropping embers and creating spot fires.
  • The fire has been burning overnight burning in a southerly direction towards Swan Reach.
  • This fire is threatening homes and lives.
  • There is a south-westerly wind change has occurred and is likely to drive fires in a north-easterly direction.
  • Bruthen, Bullumwall, Swan Reach and Fairhope are under a high level of threat.
  • Metung is not threatened to the same level at this point.

The incident controller of the Gippsland fires said he could not confirm whether lives or property had been lost in massive fires that burned through East Gippsland overnight, because it was so hot they had to ground their infra-red tracking plane.

And he said the beachside town of Mallacoota, where 4,000 tourists and locals are on the foreshore being protected by firefighters, is expected to be hit by fire this morning. Chris Eagle, from the department of environment, land, water and planning, said the fires grew about 60% in size overnight.

On Monday afternoon, the three largest fires — Barmouth Spur near Bruthen, W Tree, and the Cann River fire — were estimated to be 200,000ha in size.

“There’s a lot of fire, a lot of activity,” Eagle told ABC radio in Gippsland on Tuesday morning. “There’s going to be impacts to residents just because of the sheer size.”

Asked if that meant he could not say whether there had been a loss of property or lives, Eagle said: “No, not as yet.”

He said he had reports the fire had directly impacted on the towns of Bruthen and Orbost.

The Princes Highway was closed from Bairnsdale to Genoa, east of Mallacoota, on Monday night, but on Tuesday morning the stretch between Lakes Entrance and Bairnsdale was opened to allow tourists to leave.

All of East Gippsland remains under an emergency alert this morning, except Bairnsdale which is under a watch and act.

There are currently 13 emergency warnings in place across Victoria and New South Wales.

These maps below will give you a sense of where those fires are burning.

We’re currently waiting for the NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, to address media. That’s coming up in the next few minutes.

Updated

I mentioned the town of Mallacoota is bracing to be impacted by fire. There are terrifying photos coming out of the area.

Meanwhile, residents in Albury-Wodonga are mourning the loss of a 28-year-old volunteer fire fighter who was killed when his fire truck rolled in strong winds yesterday evening.

The Rural Fire Service Superintendent Pat Westwood will give more details at 10am today.

Crisp said authorities are focused on a fire that is about to reach the coastal town of Mallacoota in East Gippsland. Residents were told the fire was likely to hit the township around daybreak.

“We have three strike teams in Mallacoota looking after 4,000 people on the beach as the fire goes into that town,” he said.

“We are concerned about isolated communities and to get an appreciation about other losses we will put up helicopters, reconnaissance flight. A whole lot of planning has happened over night. We thought this was the scenario.”

Updated

'Multiple properties' lost, Vic authorities confirm

Victoria’s emergency services commissioner Andrew Crisp has just appeared on ABC News.

Crisp said he could not give specific details about the number of homes lost in Victoria. But he confirms that in East Gippsland “multiple properties across a number of locations” have been lost.

He does not want to give more details until authorities are certain to avoid misleading people.

Updated

Good morning. I’m Luke Henriques-Gomes. Thanks for joining our coverage of the ongoing bushfire threat across the country.

We should learn this morning about the scale of the properties lost across Victoria, as fires bear down on communities in the state’s east, and on the New South Wales south coast.

We already know that a volunteer firefighter lost their life at Albury yesterday after their truck rolled.

We’ll be with you throughout the day.

Updated

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