News from Australia and across Oceania

[AlbertC]

Australia bushfires: towns devastated and lives lost as blazes turn the sky red

Thousands shelter on beaches as fires rip through Victoria and New South Wales

www.theguardian.com

Australia: Thousands trapped on beach as fires approach | DW | 31.12.2019

Thousands of people have evacuated to a beach in southeast Australia as raging fires encircled communities and cut off roads. A firefighter was killed when a "fire tornado" lifted a fire truck into the air.

m.dw.com

 

[AlbertC]

Australia fires: nine dead and hundreds of properties destroyed, with worse to come

Residents in Victoria and New South Wales count terrible cost during brief reprieve from disaster that has sent smoke as far as New Zealand

www.theguardian.com

We know this disaster is unprecedented – no amount of Scott Morrison spin can hide it | Lenore Taylor

The prime minister has used his New Year’s Eve message to try to pretend this disaster is not different

www.theguardian.com

'Apocalyptic': New Zealand shrouded in smoke from Australian bushfires

Swathes of the South Island are affected by haze with the sky in places turning orange

www.theguardian.com

 

[AlbertC]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1212229960573677569

 

[AlbertC]

Australia fires: tens of thousands stranded while attempting to flee

Visitors who were told to evacuate a vast area along the NSW south coast before even worse fire conditions return stuck for hours in gridlocked traffic

Australia fires: tens of thousands stranded while attempting to flee

Visitors who were told to evacuate a vast area along the NSW south coast before even worse fire conditions return stuck for hours in gridlocked traffic

www.theguardian.com

 

[AlbertC]

Australia fires: Angry residents berate PM Morrison in blaze-ravaged town

Australia's PM Scott Morrison had to cut short a visit to a town ravaged by fire after angry locals heckled him over the government's response.

Locals said he had done very little to help Cobargo in New South Wales (NSW), where two people died earlier this week and many lost their homes.

Australia fires: Angry residents berate PM Morrison in blaze-ravaged town

Scott Morrison is confronted in Cobargo as residents insult him and tell him he is unwelcome.

www.bbc.com

 

[AlbertC]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1212169693005414400

 

[AlbertC]

Australian bushfires forecasted to reach Sydney suburbs

Fire authorities have warned wildfires might bring flames to more urban areas, including the suburbs of the country's most populous city. The largest peacetime evacuation in Australian history is underway.

Australian bushfires forecast to reach Sydney suburbs | DW | 04.01.2020

Fire authorities have warned wildfires might bring flames close to urban areas, including the suburbs of the country's most populous city. The largest peacetime evacuation in Australian history is underway.

m.dw.com

 

[AlbertC]

'Coming towards us like a monster': High winds increase Australia fire fears

Skies have reddened and darkened in areas of south-eastern Australia as wind gusts exacerbated fires already burning in the area.

The BBC's Phil Mercer witnessed a dust storm, as authorities feared it would make the job of firefighters much harder and more dangerous.

'It was coming towards us like a monster'

Skies have reddened and darkened in areas of south-eastern Australia as wind gusts exacerbated fires already burning in the area.

www.bbc.com

 

[AlbertC]

Falling ash, skies of blood – and now Australia’s anger smoulders

The past week has been marked by the refusal of public officials, including PM Scott Morrison, to recognise the scale of the crisis

Royce Kurmelovs
Sat 4 Jan 2020 18.20 GMT

Falling ash, skies of blood – and now Australia’s anger smoulders

The past week has been marked by the refusal of public officials, including PM Scott Morrison, to recognise the scale of the crisis

www.theguardian.com

 

[AlbertC]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1213618471767904256

 

[AlbertC]

Kangaroo Island bushfires: grave fears for unique wildlife after estimated 25,000 koalas killed

Greatest concerns for endangered Kangaroo Island dunnart and glossy black-cockatoo after third of island burned

Graham Readfearn
Tue 7 Jan 2020 03.49 GMT

Kangaroo Island bushfires: grave fears for unique wildlife after estimated 25,000 koalas killed

Greatest concerns for endangered Kangaroo Island dunnart and glossy black-cockatoo after third of island burned

www.theguardian.com

 

[AlbertC]

Australia fires: How the world has responded to the crisis

Australia fires: How the world has responded to the crisis

The crisis has reverberated globally, with celebrities and ordinary citizens trying to help.

www.bbc.com

 

[Johnny Au]

Australia fires: How the world has responded to the crisis

Australia fires: How the world has responded to the crisis

The crisis has reverberated globally, with celebrities and ordinary citizens trying to help.

www.bbc.com

Unsurprisingly, environmentalist Greta Thunberg had something to say about Morrison's emu head in the sand (my metaphor, not hers). She just turned 17 a few days ago.

 

[AlbertC]

Economic impact of Australia's bushfires set to exceed $4.4bn cost of Black Saturday

Fires will cripple consumer confidence and harm industries such as farming and tourism, Moody’s says

Ben Butler
Wed 8 Jan 2020 03.01 GMT

Economic impact of Australia's bushfires set to exceed $4.4bn cost of Black Saturday

Fires will cripple consumer confidence and harm industries such as farming and tourism, Moody’s says

www.theguardian.com

 

[AlbertC]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1212883588938633216