The NSW fires

Weather forecast fuels NSW fire fears, authorities warn Sydney could be at risk


ABC,
10 November, 2019

Emergency services in NSW are bracing for "dire" high-risk bushfire conditions on Tuesday, with areas around Sydney particularly at risk.

It predicts some of the other 70 fires still burning across NSW will hit emergency alert level later on Sunday.

Hot and windy conditions are expected on Tuesday, when temperatures could hit the mid-30s, with a state-wide fire ban in place.


In a tweet, the RFS issued a dire warning for Tuesday, saying: "If you are threatened by fire, you may not get help.


The NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) said on Tuesday it was likely to issue severe or extreme fire danger warnings from the Queensland border to areas south of Sydney, and the Central West.


"Indications are that the weather conditions will be worse than what we experienced [on Friday]," RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said.


"Not only will they be worse, they will be concentrated much further than just the north-eastern area of NSW."


Mr Fitzsimmons said along with the 1,300 firefighters on the ground right now from across Australia and New Zealand, they were in contact with colleagues from Canada and the US for possible help in light of Tuesday's predicted forecast.


They were also in discussions with the Australian Defence Force.


Prime Minister Scott Morrison was touring the fire ground on Sunday and spoke to some of those affected at an evacuation centre at Club Taree.

He said he was "never more proud" of Australians than in moments like this.


"They just show incredible spirit, incredible heart, incredible generosity," he said.


He said there was an immediate disaster recovery payment of $1000 available to adults affected by the fire and $400 for children.


The Prime Minister was joined by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian who thanked the thousands of volunteers across the state. She said the conditions for Tuesday looked "dire".

A 'quality person'

Dean Sgarbossa from the Bureau of Meteorology said sea breezes were expected to blow through several fire grounds today.

"When it's combined with dry atmosphere conditions and high temperatures but particularly stronger winds, that leads to very intense fires but also very rapidly-moving fires," he said.

More on the bushfire emergency:

• As NSW's fires raged around them, this town's residents huddled in one house
• Weather forecast fuels NSW fire fears, authorities warn Sydney could be at risk
• Queensland fires see State of Emergency declared across 42 areas as residents wait to return home
• NSW fires claim life of Wytaliba woman Vivian Chaplain as family pays tribute
• Fires in NSW partly caused by delayed monsoons in India, experts say

Former fire chief delivers chilling bushfire warning to Australia's government