FED: 76 dead in Vic, as more than 100 fires burn across Aust
08 Feb 2009 8:54 PM
Subject: FED: 76 dead in Vic, as more than 100 fires burn across Aust FED: 76 dead in Vic, as more than 100 fires burn across Aust
SNAPSHOT OF BUSHFIRES ACROSS AUSTRALIA
Number of fires
Victoria - 30 bushfires remain out of control, with seven others contained and dozens more under control.
NSW - at least 53 fires burning across the state, with nine out of control.
WA - small fire in Perth's Kings Park, believed to be a spot fire left over from a blaze there on Friday night, put out within an hour.
Deaths:
Victoria - 76 confirmed dead (Kinglake 8; Kinglake West 10; St Andrews 12; Humevale 5; Wandong 4; Bendigo 1; Strathewen 1; Callignee 4; Upper Callignee 1; Hazelwood 3; Jeeralang 1; Long Gully 1; Flowerdale 5; Yea 1 (died at hospital); Hazeldene 2; Taggerty 3; Marysville 2; Whittlesea 3; Mudgeegonga 2; Steel Creek 7.
NSW - No deaths reported.
Injuries:
Victoria - 20 people admitted to The Alfred hospital with burns. Ten remain in a critical condition and the others are in a stable condition.
Losses:
Victoria - at least 640 homes destroyed, including 550 in the Kinglake area; more than 300,000ha burnt out.
NSW - no houses or property under threat.
Fighting the fires:
Victoria - 3,192 firefighters (552 DSE, 2500 CFA, 140 MFB); 342 fire vehicles (142 DSE, 200 CFA); 23 bulldozers; and 37 aircraft.
Weather:
Victoria - forecast state max on Monday is 32 degrees celsius, at Albury/Wodonga; Melbourne max 22.5; cool to mild with moderate to fresh southwest to southerly winds across the state, very high fire danger in the north, high fire danger in the south.
NSW - forecast state max on Monday is 43 at Bourke; Sydney max 24. Sunday saw 45 at Ivanhoe; Sydney max 33 in the city, 43 at Penrith; winds between 40km/h and 60km/h at inland areas.
Main fires:
KINGLAKE COMPLEX, Vic
- The ferocious East Kilmore and Murrindini Mill fires have merged, burning more than 210,000ha together. The fire has razed 550 homes in the Kinglake area alone and has killed 56 people in all in a wide area from Wandong, north of Melbourne, to Marysville by 7pm (AEDT) on Sunday. Worst hit towns include Kinglake and Kinglake West (18 deaths), Saint Andrews (11 dead). Towns of Taggerty, Crystal Creek and Connellys Creek remain on alert, along with Homewood, Kerrisdale, Trawool and Tallarook, all near Yea.
BEECHWORTH, Vic
- A 22,500-hectare blaze three kilometres south of Beechworth, in Victoria's north-east, still listed as out of control late on Sunday afternoon. Urgent threat message issued for the communities of Bruarong, Dederang, Khancoona, Khancoona South, Coral Bank, Glen Creek, Running Creek and Yackandandah.
CHURCHILL, Vic
- has burned through 32,860ha. The potential threat to the communities of Hazelwood South, Jeeralang, Jeeralang North, Jeeralang Junction, Balook, Le Roy, Jumbuck, Valley View, Budgree East, Traralgon South and Callignee has eased but residents remain on alert. Potential threat to Loy Yang power station, Victoria's largest, has eased.
HORSHAM, Vic
- Fire now contained, but at least three houses, the Horsham Golf Club, several sheds and a Dimboola Fire Brigade truck destroyed. Fires at Remlaw burnt out more than 3,000ha.
BUNYIP, Vic
- More than 25,000ha of state park and private land now burned. Threat has eased to communities of Warragul, Nilma, Nilma North, Darnum, Ellinbank, Gainsborough, Cloverlea, Nayook, Neerim and Neerim Junction.
DARGO, Vic
- Alpine fire in East Gippsland approximately 15,000ha in size.
REDESDALE, Vic
- Grass fire that started 9km west of Redesdale, south of Lake Eppalock, is estimated to be almost 9,500ha. The fire has spread approximately 10km in a southeasterly direction to Annex Lane south of Sidonia. Most resources are being concentrated on the south eastern edge of the fire between Baynton and Glenhope and the northern edge of the fire west of Redesdale. The fire is not posing a direct threat to property but the towns of Baynton, Glenhope, Redesdale and Mia Mia have been warned the fire is still active and conditions could change unexpectedly.
PEATS RIDGE, NSW
- Fire has destroyed about 300ha of bushland in the Brisbane Waters National Park and on private property, near Gosford, on the Central Coast. Five aircraft, 30 trucks and 100 firefighters were on scene and there was no direct threat to property.
MUSWELLBROOK, NSW
- More than 140ha has been destroyed at Wybong, southwest of Scone, in the Hunter region. About 50 firefighters were working to contain the fire with the help of waterbombing aircraft. No properties were under threat but one car was destroyed by fire on Saturday. The Rural Fire Service (RFS) has issued a warning to residents about smoke impact on local roads.
SINGLETON, NSW
- Three separate fires merged into one and have destroyed 1,000ha of bushland in the Wollemi National Park, approximately 25km northwest of Putty and 44km south of Denman in NSW Hunter region. Firefighters and eight aircraft were working to contain the fire, burning in remote terrain. No properties were under threat but nearby residents were advised to protect themselves from large amounts of smoke emanating from the fire.
BEGA VALLEY, NSW
- Bushfire on the far south coast of NSW has torched 1,300ha of remote bushland near Bega, in the South East Forest National Park. Fire burning about 7km southeast of Wyndham and 25km west of Pambula. Eleven waterbombing aircraft were assisting more than 100 firefighters battling the blaze. Residents from Towamba, Wyndham and Burragate advised to remove all flammable materials from their properties.
EUROBODALLA, NSW
- A fire continued to burn uncontained on the state's south coast, about 40km southwest of Moruya. The fire has covered about 400ha, much of which is in inaccessible areas of bushland, creating smoke that was visible from surrounding communities. The fire posed no threat to property but was being addressed by fire crews assisted by aircraft and bulldozers.
AAP xlc/cdh/jpm =0A
FED: 76 dead in Vic, as more than 100 fires burn across Aust