[Nicky91]

There are fears that many houses may have been lost on a horrific day in Victoria and Tasmania, with more extreme weather forecast for New Year’s Eve

One firefighter has died and multiple properties are feared lost after terrifying bushfires driven by extreme weather conditions swept across four Australian states on Monday.

The volunteer firefighter from the New South Wales Rural Fire Service died when a truck rolled near Jingellic, about 70km east of Albury, on the border with Victoria. The RFS said two trucks, including the one in which the firefighter died, had been overturned by high winds. Two others suffered burns in the crash.

Ten people have now died during one of the worst bushfire seasons in the nation’s history, which have burned through more than 4.6m hectares.

The extreme weather conditions were expected to worsen late on Monday, after a horrific day in the East Gippsland region of Victoria, where authorities had called for mass evacuations.

Temperatures reached above 40C in all states, including Tasmania, where Hobart recorded 40.8C, its hottest December day ever. Several properties were reportedly lost in fires near Fingal in the north of the island state.

On Monday evening, 16 emergency-level fires were burning in Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales. In South Australia, conditions had been rated catastrophic across much of the state, but it survived the day without feared extensive property losses.

Firefighters were bracing for further strong winds, in some places forecast to reach up to 120km an hour, and dry lightning strikes, which authorities fear could be ruinous after a day of sweltering heat. New South Wales was expected to face the worst threat on New Year’s Eve.

The most extensive fires on Monday were burning in the East Gippsland region, a popular coastal holiday destination east of Melbourne, where an estimated 30,000 visitors have been staying over the New Year period.

By late Monday, nine emergency-level fires were burning in East Gippsland. One fire, sparked by dry lightning between Cann River and Mallacoota, travelled 24km in six hours early on Monday morning.

Two fires that merged sent plumes of smoke as high as 12km into the sky.

Youtube video

Youtube video

https://www.theguardian.com/australi...gh-four-states

[arista]

[Mystic Mock]

Shocking is the only word I can think of to describe this.

[Ammi]

...truly horrendous for all who are living through this atm......the terrifying power of fire...

[arista]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...truly horrendous for all who are living through this atm......the terrifying power of fire...

And the lack of rain
for so long, making it ultra dry land.


Sadly 12 so far, have died

[Nicky91]

Originally Posted by arista

And the lack of rain
for so long, making it ultra dry land.


Sadly 12 so far, have died

yes edited the OP title, thanks for the updated information arista


very sad indeed


also not wanting to think about any animals who have possibly died in these fires, that makes me more sad

[Ammi]

...At least 17 people remain missing after fires this week alone.....

[Ammi]

..the whole scale of the fires and what those people are going through atm is horrendous...

[arista]

[Twosugars]

Poor Australians
They need a proper leader not this hard right arse
He is like trump and bojo
****ed off to Hawaii when fires started

[Kizzy]

It's horrific to know it's taken something like this to wake many up to climate change.

[Cherie]

Horrendous, it looks to have been handled really badly from the off as well, and the PM heading off to Hawaii was such a poor decision, its hard to see how anyone could have taken it

[bitontheslide]

having a massive firework display while the country is burning and people are dying seems a bit distasteful to me too.

[Kizzy]

Yep.. that was mentioned on NYE too :/

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

having a massive firework display while the country is burning and people are dying seems a bit distasteful to me too.

Yep it was in very poor taste

[Liam-]

The videos of koalas begging people for water at the side of the roads are heartbreaking

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Liam-

The videos of koalas begging people for water at the side of the roads are heartbreaking

...yeah those images of the cyclist giving the koala water were heartbreaking...and how many animals must have lost their lives in Bush fires in general over the years.../...a staggering number, I would think.....

[Niamh.]

Terrifying

[arista]

Australia wildfires: Scott Morrison (Leader)
told to 'piss off' by angry residents.

https://news.sky.com/story/australia...dents-11899728

Not surprised,


sadly 18 dead , now


Some Great Photos all Large
https://news.sky.com/preview/1786207...BxmU422HtDQxDZ

[arista]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

having a massive firework display while the country is burning and people are dying seems a bit distasteful to me too.

The problem is they bought all that firework stock
from China.

But maybe not having it
everyone could have understood why

[arista]

[Scarlett.]

So many animals dead, Australia's ecosystem is going to be decimated by the time this is done in 3 months

[arista]

Its now 23 dead , sadly

[Ammi]

Australian world number one Ashleigh Barty will donate all of her prize money from the Brisbane International to the bushfire relief fund.

Barty, 23, is the top seed in the singles and will play alongside Dutch partner Kiki Bertens in the doubles.




.....


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/50997906

[The Slim Reaper]

This is mental