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The New Zealand Herald

World

Australian troops prepare for bushfire emergency evacuations by sea

The Australian Defence Force and emergency services in Victoria are preparing today to evacuate people stranded in the beachside town of Mallacoota in East Gippsland.

With around 4000 people stranded on Mallacoota Beach, most of them tourists, HMAS Choules has been sent to the area with the possibility of beginning to evacuate people by sea, The Australian reports.

HMAS Choules is expected to arrive mid-morning on Thursday and could take 1000 people at a time, "an option that we're seriously considering" Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said.

Scenes at Mallacoota as the fires approach. Photo / Supplied

"So if we were to do that, we would certainly be prioritising those who would be leaving," Mr Crisp said.

Meanwhile in New South Wales, authorities have less than 24 hours to move the thousands of people stranded on the South Coast who face a humanitarian crisis amid looming horror fire conditions.

Hundreds of people queued for hours on Wednesday to get food and supplies after power was lost to thousands of homes across the region.

A road has been opened north of Batemans Bay to allow stranded holidaymakers to return towards Sydney.

There are 50,000 homes without power and residents have no phone service and are low on fuel.

A further three deaths have been confirmed from the New Year's Eve fires on the South Coast while another man was killed in Victoria's fire-ravaged East Gippsland region. It brings the national death toll from the bushfire crisis to 18.

— Joanne Matthews (@joannematthew) December 31, 2019

On the South Coast, a body was found in a vehicle in Yatte Yattah near Lake Conjola, another was found in a vehicle in Sussex Inlet and ambulance officers found a third body in the area.

The HMAS Choules (L100) sits in front of the Sydney Opera House in 2014. Photo / Getty Images

And in Victoria, a 67-year-old great-grandfather was confirmed dead while more remain missing with military personnel expected to help firefighters in the state's east.

Firefighters are bracing for more difficult conditions in the coming days, with hot temperatures and strong winds forecast for already bushfire-ravaged communities on the NSW south coast.

— news.com.au (@newscomauHQ) January 1, 2020

Rural Fire Service Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers warned conditions on Saturday could be worse than those on New Year's Eve when aggressive bushfires tore through the south coast and caused widespread destruction.

"There is every potential that the conditions on Saturday will be as bad or worse than we saw yesterday (Tuesday)," he told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday.

The winds are expected to be very strong with temperatures forecast to surpass 40C, mixed with low humidity which is expected to produce a severe fire danger. The state's southeast, the southern ranges, the Illawarra, south coast and the central ranges are expected to experience the worst of the conditions. Authorities are also concerned about the Green Wattle Creek fire southwest of Sydney which has broken containment lines.

"Crews are working hard to get some containment before Saturday but we are concerned about that fire because of its potential run into far western Sydney," Mr Rogers said.

He urged people who are near the blazes to stay away.

"Do not be in the path of these fires," he said.

A mother and two primary school aged sons are in the boat with her off the coast of Mallacoota. Photo / vai Twitter

"These fires are burning extremely ferociously.

"We've unfortunately seen how deadly they are. If it's going to be a bad day just be away from that area."

A cool change is expected on Saturday but not until late in the afternoon on the coast and even later in the ranges.

— news.com.au (@newscomauHQ) January 1, 2020

NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said winds are forecast to reach up to 60km/h on Saturday with stronger gusts which could cause "challenging" fire behaviour.

Surrounded by smoke and red skies, a man has posted video from a boat off the coast of Mallacoota. Video / Cubin' / Facebook

"The challenge down the south coast is that you've got these two winds that are going to be competing against each other on Saturday - a westerly and an easterly," he told reporters on Wednesday.

"When they converge together (they) create all sorts of different wind directions and all sorts of convergence on the fire ground which is going to increase the risk and increase the damage."

The aftermath at Mallacoota, Victoria. Photo / via video

In Tasmania, a deliberately-lit bushfire in northeast Tasmania is sparking an emergency warning as winds increase.

"Police have reason to believe the main fire, as well as other fires in the area have been deliberately lit," Northern District Commander Brett Smith said.

Afternoon westerly winds again flared the fires on Wednesday. Across Tasmania there are six watch-and-act alerts in place for fires, plus two further blazes which are at 'advice' level.

In Western Australia, a bushfire south of Perth has been controlled and contained, leading authorities to downgrade their alert about the blaze on Wednesday.