Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons has confirmed the bushfire crisis in New South Wales has killed three people, and there are concerns for another missing person.
Robert Salway, 63, and his son Patrick, 29, were killed defending their family property near Cobargo. A number of homes, schools and other community buildings have been damaged or destroyed, and NSW firefighters are in a race against time to strengthen containment lines ahead of dangerous conditions this weekend.
Two fires that were burning at emergency level overnight have been downgraded. More than 50 fires are uncontained across the state, eight of which are currently burning at watch and act level. Authorities are asking people to avoid major and local roads on the South Coast, closed due to power outages. Image: Getty
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
'Horrible day for NSW': Three dead, dozens of properties destroyed in NSW South Coast bushfiresThe NSW Rural Fire Service confirms three people were killed by bushfires on New Year's Eve, while residents and fire authorities attempt to re-access firegrounds ravaged by flames.
Read more »
'Potential fatalities': Three missing as NSW South Coast hit by fires
Read more »
Two dead as NSW South Coast hit by firesFires are sweeping across the NSW South Coast.
Read more »
Two dead, one missing in NSW fires and four unaccounted for in VIC | Sky News AustraliaTwo People have died and grave fears remain for at least one other person who is still missing on the state's south coast.\n\nTwo fires that has been burning at emergency level overnight have been downgraded.\n\nMore than 50 fires are uncontained across the state, eight of which are currently burning at watch and act level. \n\nAuthorities are asking people to avoid major and local roads on the South Coast, closed due to power outages. \n\nMeanwhile in Victoria, seven emergency warnings remain in place, as 45 bushfires burn across the state.\n\nSix of those warnings have been issued for the East Gippsalnd region where four people remain unaccounted for.\n\nThe other is in place for a fire burning further north, near the New South Wales border.\n\nHoliday makers remain stranded in the coastal town of Mallacoota, after fast moving bushfires forced thousands to flee to the beach.\n\nIn Tasmania, communities have spent the last 24 hours assessing the damage after a day of extreme fire danger.\n\nThe Tasmanian Fire Service confirmed at least one home was destroyed in a bushfire in the Upper Derwent Valley.\n\nAuthorities say more properties could be lost as six fires currently burn at watch-and-act level across the state.\n\nChallenging terrain and strong winds are hampering crew efforts to construct containment lines. \n\nImage: Getty
Read more »
NSW RFS confirm a volunteer firefighter has died and another two suffer burns | Sky News AustraliaThe New South Wales Rural Fire Service has confirmed a volunteer firefighter has died, and two others have suffered burns, while fighting fires on Monday evening near the town of Jingellic, east of Albury.\n\nIn a tweet posted by the NSW RFS on Monday evening, the volunteer firefighters were reportedly working on the Green valley Fire when the incident occurred. \n\nIt is believed a truck rolled when hit by extreme winds. \n\nImage: Getty
Read more »
Volunteer firefighter dies in NSW, bringing bushfire death toll to nine | Sky News AustraliaA volunteer firefighter has died after a truck rollover in extreme winds in NSW overnight, bringing the total death toll from the bushfire season to nine. \n\nTwo firefighters in the same truck suffered burns as they battled a bushfire at Green Valley, 70 kilometres east of Albury in New South Wales. \n\nThere are currently four emergency level fires burning across the state. \n\nMeanwhile in Victoria, bushfires have been fuelled by extreme weather conditions not seen since the devastating Black Saturday fires in 2009.\n\nVictoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp told motorists to stay off the roads during the disaster because large parts of the state were at “significant risk” – particularly East Gippsland where a 230km stretch of road was shut down. \n\nIn South Australia, more than 40 blazes are burning across the state, fuelled by catastrophic fire conditions. \n\nMilder conditions are forecast in the state for the remainder of the week before rising again on Friday. \n\nImage: Getty
Read more »