Three people reported missing after house destroyed in bushfire have been found safe
Three people who were reported as missing have been found and are safe, the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, says.
We are grateful for everyone for supporting those people, to keep them safe.
The premier is also providing an update on the man in his 60s who died near a fire ground after he was found in his vehicle.
While his death is not directly related to the fires, the fact this death occurred in such close proximity to the fire ground means this is a community that is grieving and my thoughts are with his family and the broader community.
Allan, who says her own community has been told to evacuate, thanks those who have followed advice by emergency authorities saying that, as emergency warnings are issued, “communities did respond”.
I know how hard it is to leave your home, not knowing when or what you will return to. It has saved lives. Again, I thank Victorians for following that advice.
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Updated at 01.02 CET
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What we learned, 10 January 2025
Stay safe, everyone. We’re wrapping up the blog for Saturday, but before we go, here are the major developments from today:
More than 100 buildings have been destroyed and 300,000 hectares burned in Victoria’s bushfires. Fire danger warnings have been imposed across much of New South Wales and all of Victoria as the southern state experiences the worst fire conditions since the black summer bushfires.
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has declared a state of emergency in 18 local government areas and an alpine resort.
Despite a change in conditions on Saturday, the fire threat remained as strong westerly winds pushed existing fire fronts east to threatened additional communities.
The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, warned of an “incredible threat” as fire bans were imposed, and asked residents not to take risks.
Queensland’s premier, David Crisafulli, said the state has been as prepared as it ever has been for the cyclone developing off the Queensland coast.
A man was found dead in his car near an active fire, but his death appears not to have been related to the bushfires, authorities said.
Three people reported missing in Victoria’s north on Friday were found alive and well.
Meanwhile, former Adelaide festival leaders wrote to the current board to voice their criticism over the dumping of a Palestinian writer from the program.
We’ll see you again tomorrow for all the latest.
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Updated at 07.09 CET
Tropical Cyclone Koji expected to make landfall near Townsville on Sunday morning
AAP reports that the tropical low off the coast of Queensland (expected to develop into a cyclone) will make landfall near Townsville early on Sunday, with residents in the far north warned to take shelter:
Authorities warn conditions will be dangerous as the system approaches, with gale-strength winds likely from late afternoon.
Should Cyclone Koji eventuate, its force will knock down trees and power lines, and blow away anything not tied down outside, according to the emergency warning. The Bureau of Meteorology says:
This is a risk to life. Heavy rain may cause flooding in some places.
Power, phones, internet and water might stop working. Roads could be blocked by fallen trees, powerlines or flood water.
The Queensland premier, David Crisafulli, was adamant earlier on Saturday that the already hard-hit region was “better prepared than ever” to handle the challenge.
Tropical Low 12U was at that stage stationed east of Cooktown, with a 50-60% chance of developing into a category one cyclone.
Koji was expected to deliver 100km/h wind gusts, and heavy downpours in already soaked catchment areas and a risk of flash floods.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Dean Narramore said:
Rainfall will ramp up later today and into tomorrow through firstly the Central Coast region and then into the Herbert and lower Burdekin.
There are severe weather warnings from Port Douglas down to Mackay and cyclone warnings are also current from Port Douglas into the Ayr area.
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Updated at 06.55 CET
Our photographer Steve Womersley has been out at the Longwood fire, where it’s a similar tale of devastation:
Property destroyed by fire at Maroondah Highway, Yarck, Victoria. Photograph: Steve Womersley/The GuardianWayne Doig, 1st Lieutenant Oxley Fire Brigade, takes a breather outside Merton Fire Station. Merton, Victoria. Photograph: Steve Womersley/The GuardianMoyhu Tanker knocks down a breakout fire that has crossed the Maroonday Highway between Merton and Yarck. 1 Photograph: Steve Womersley/The GuardianShare
Updated at 06.47 CET
Hi all – Tory Shepherd here, taking over from Royce Kurmelovs. I wish I had some better news to bring you, but there are some harrowing images coming out of Harcourt, where dozens of properties have been destroyed:
Fire damage at the Coolstore cafe in Harcourt, Victoria. Photograph: James Ross/AAPThe fire-damaged Harcourt Co-operative Cool Stores. Photograph: James Ross/AAPA fire-damaged property in Harcourt. Photograph: James Ross/AAPShare
Updated at 06.30 CET
Caitlin Cassidy
NSW RFS says 53 bushfires and grass fires still burning across state, 10 not contained
As New South Wales continues to grapple with a major heatwave, there are 53 bushfires and grass fires burning across the state, the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) has confirmed.
Ten of those fires have not yet been contained.
There is one fire at a “watch and act” level burning within the Wadbilliga national park, around 20km north-west of Cobargo. The village, in the Bega shire, was decimated during the 2019–2020 black Saturday bushfires.
The NSW RFS said fire activity had “increased across the fire ground and is burning in an easterly and south-easterly direction”.
The fire is currently 260 hectares in size and being controlled.
Two further fires, one at Ku-ring-gai Chase Rd, Mount Colah and one at Mummel, 16km north-west of Goulburn, were at a “watch and act” level but had since been downgraded to “advice” in the past hour.
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Updated at 06.08 CET
Euroa residents still ‘in fight mode’, local MP says
Residents of Euroa have yet to process the scale of the damage to their communities after fire swept through the area.
Speaking to the ABC on Saturday morning, the Nationals MP for Euroa, Annebelle Cleeland, described the situation in the region as “crisis, absolutely” and painted a vivid picture of the destruction.
I don’t think we’re processing it, we’re in fight mode. We’re cut off, isolated, fighting. The grief and the shock is being met with sheer exhaustion. My friends and my neighbours, family, my sister ten minutes before this found out that she’s lost most of her property and it’s nothing like you imagine. We still have to keep that adrenalin running because we are in the thick of it. We are not out of danger.
Cleeland described the experience as “just terrifying”, that she had received calls from people who are “surprised they are still alive.”
These are firefighters that have been defending our region for nearly 40 years. This is like nothing they’ve ever seen, the scale and heat and ferocity of this fire, it’s like nothing you could imagine.
Cleeland said the community is running out of fuel, water and “tankers are struggling to get water access” after the community has gone through a drought over the last year.
We have Longwood cut off from phone reception, power, water. There is no water. These are townships that have gone through more than 40 degree heat and they have nothing. It is crisis. Absolutely.
A firefighting helicopter near the Longwood bushfire. Photograph: Michael Currie/AAPShare
Updated at 06.06 CET
Greens say catastrophic bushfires a ‘climate disaster’
The Greens say the worst bushfire conditions sense black summer underscores the need for more urgent action on climate change.
The acting leader of the Greens, Sarah Hanson-Young, said conditions had been made worse by ongoing fossil fuel extraction and consumption, particularly from coal and gas.
Hanson-Young said the Greens wanted an end to coal and gas approvals, and subsidies for fossil fuel production. The party said coal and gas companies should be made to pay “for protecting the community and the damage they have caused”.
It is devastating to see these catastrophic fires destroying communities across Victoria– our hearts are with those who have lost their homes, the friends and families of those displaced and injured, and with the brave firefighters across the country who are charging into danger day after day.
We’re hoping that today’s cool change in Victoria gives firefighters a reprieve and helps them bring these terrible blazes under control, and that NSW doesn’t see the same as the heat moves north.
Make no mistake, this is a climate disaster. These are the worst fire conditions since Black Summer, and they’re made worse with each coal and gas mine that is opened.
These extreme fires are being fuelled by mining and burning coal and gas, but politicians from both the major parties keep approving new fossil fuel projects because they are on the payroll of coal and gas corporations.
The only way to keep people safe is to stop adding more fuel to the climate fire: no more coal and gas.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Updated at 05.54 CET
Most public buildings in fire-hit Harcourt have been saved, town meeting told
The majority of public buildings have been saved, a town hall meeting in Harcourt has been told.
The meeting is under way to provide an update to the community, with the CFA incident controller Michael Masters saying the situation is still too dynamic to provide solid answers or to allow residents to return to their homes.
The Mount Alexander mayor, Toby Heydon, says the local leadership has been working over the last 24 hours to coordinate the fire response, even as some staff and councillors lost their homes and properties.
He says the council works in partnership with the Incident Control Centre and has been in touch with the premier, Jacinta Allan.
Our primary focus up until now and to continue today is supporting emergency response in fire-affected areas.
But he says “the focus for us is how do we best support the community in recovery” with a recovery centre to open in Castlemaine from Monday morning.
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Updated at 05.47 CET
Strong winds push fire toward Victorian town of Otway
Strong northerly winds are pushing an out-of-control fire toward the Victorian town of Otway.
The CEO of Colac Otway shire council, Andrew Tenni, spoke to the ABC about the developing situation, saying it is “looking pretty interesting at the moment”.
He says anyone in the path of the fire around Carlisle River is advised to head north to relief centres at the Colac Showgrounds and Colac Neighbourhood Centre for those seeking shelter.
Those with animals or livestock can go to the Colac Showgrounds, with the animals to be housed in the showgrounds area.
Tenni says the shire has been asked to open an emergency relief centre in the last few moments.
So that’s providing some shelter and accommodation for people that may be displaced because of the fires. We’ll put in other measures. So food and water that will be available to people.
And amazingly one of the biggest asks when the relief centres are open is for power, for people to charge up their phones and iPads and things so they can keep in touch with other family and keep across what’s going on through the VicEmergency app.
Tenni says communication with locals, to provide them with more information, will begin shortly.
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Updated at 05.23 CET
Townsville residents told to prepare to take shelter ahead of gale-force winds
Townsville residents have been told to prepare to take shelter after a watch and act notice was issued by the Townsville Local Disaster Management Group.
A tropical low is developing slowly as it moves towards the north-east Queensland coast that is forecast to reach cyclone intensity later this evening before crossing the coast near Townsville, most likely early on Sunday.
Gale-strength winds are expected from 4pm today that threatens to down trees and power lines, and blow away debris not tied down outside.
Heavy rain is expected to cause flooding in some places, communications may be vulnerable and roads may become blocked.
Resident are advised to:
Finish preparing your property.
Fill your car with fuel, or charge it, and park it undercover. Do not park under a tree.
Store or tie down outside items, such as caravans, trailers, outdoor furniture, gas bottles, toys and play equipment.
Move outdoor furniture inside or sink it in your pool so it doesn’t fly around in strong winds.
Unplug all electrical items.
Fill up containers and the bath with clean water for drinking. Turn water off to your house if you can.
Be ready to turn off power, solar, water and gas to your house if you can and if it is safe.
Check your family, friends and neighbours know what to do. Help them if you can.
It is recommended that emergency kits should contain battery-powered radios, torches with spare batteries, tinned and packet food and bottled water for five days, enough clothes for five days and any important medicines.
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Updated at 05.10 CET
