Orroral Valley fire in Namadgi National Park downgraded to watch and act - The Canberra Times

People in Tharwa were on Tuesday told it was too late to leave as an out-of-control bushfire burning in the Namadgi National Park approached. The fire has been described by Chief Minister Andrew Barr as the most serious situation the ACT has faced since the 2003 bushfires. The fire was downgraded to watch and act at 11.15pm on Tuesday and people in Tharwa Village, Boboyan Road, Apollo Road, and Top Naas Road were advised to remain vigilant. Earlier the ACT Emergency Services Agency had said people in those areas should seek shelter. The fire has started to spot close to Tharwa Village, the ESA said. The fire was travelling in a north east and easterly direction towards these locations. Crews were attacking the fire from both ground and air operations. "Under current conditions, a fire is difficult to control. Firefighters are on scene and are preparing for property protection," the ESA said at 9.30pm. The fire did not pose an immediate threat to properties in Canberra suburbs as of 9.30pm, but ESA commissioner Georgeina Whelan said the fire was spotting and the distance to town areas would reduce in coming hours. People in Banks, Conder, Gordon, Smiths Road and the remote area of Orroral Valley should activate their bushfire plans or identify where they would go if they need to leave. People in Calwell,Theodore and surrounding areas are advised to monitor the situation and stay up to date. The ESA was undertaking doorknocking in Banks, Gordon and Conder on Tuesday evening. "This is not an evacuation, the ESA has not issued an evacuation warning for these suburbs," an ESA statement said. It comes as the likely cause of the fire was from the landing light of a military helicopter in a clearing operation. Tharwa resident of 42 years Kevin Hogan was staying back late on Tuesday afternoon to defend his property from possible ember attack as the Orroral Valley fire approached. He had 2500 litres of water ready and bought a pump and hoses more than a week ago to defend his home. "Best thing I've ever done," Mr Hogan said. "I just had a feeling it had to happen in ACT after what's been going on everywhere else. "I couldn't understand how a fire never started in those real windy days." Mr Hogan was confident Tharwa village would be OK despite the approaching fire. "We've got plenty of river water and we'll keep the town water supply up." He felt better prepared compared with the 2003 Canberra bushfires. Smoke was billowing into the sky from behind Mt Tennent near Mr Hogan's property as a water tanker dropped retardant on the fire. The Orroral Valley fire, which started on Monday, was upgraded from a watch and act level about 1.20pm on Tuesday, and as of 9:30pm was 8106 hectares. At one stage it had been expanding at about 400 hectares each hour. Ms Whelan said the fire was spotting and the distance to town areas would reduce in coming hours. "There's been increased fire activity this afternoon as a consequence of cloud cover being broken," Ms Whelan said. "This has seen fire behaviour increase resulting in spotting to the north, east and south of the fire. "We should expect more difficult weather in coming days and challenging fire conditions." The fire danger rating in the ACT was upgraded on Tuesday afternoon from very high to severe. An evacuation centre has been set up at Erindale College. Evacuation areas for those with horses and livestock have been set up at Exhibition Park. Ms Whelan said liaison officers had been speaking with residents in affected areas on Tuesday morning and doorknocking efforts were being carried out by defence force personnel. If residents were unable to leave, the ESA has advised residents to: The Emergency Services in Canberra have drawn up an evacuation plan for the city's southern suburbs if the Orroral Valley fire in the Namadgi National Park spreads to threaten housing within the ACT. Ms Whelan urged every person in Canberra - and not just those closest to the fire - to draw up a plan for what they do in the worst case scenario. She said her colleagues in emergency services were working with people in the transport department of the ACT government to make sure that there were enough buses available to ferry people to safety. "We aren't catastrophising," she said, "and we don't want to alarm the community but we want the community to remain alert and to think about how they can help the Emergency Services Agency to help them." She said the authorities were putting together plans "across the scenarios and one of those scenarios is that the southern suburbs will have to be evacuated." Earlier, Ms Whelan said several options had been developed to address the fire, taking into account the spotting, terrain, fuel load and unpredictable nature of fire activity seen during the bushfire season. "We need the community to remain alert not alarmed," Ms Whelan said. Ms Whelan urged people to monitor updates on the ESA website and social media channels and through local media. "It is important that you don't rely on just one source of information," she said. ESA held a community meeting in Tharwa on Tuesday morning and at the community centre in Uriarra at 6pm. A total fire ban has been declared for the ACT until midnight on Friday. The territory is set to experience extreme heatwave conditions on Thursday and Friday with the temperature forecast to reach into the 40s. READ MORE:

People in Tharwa were on Tuesday told it was too late to leave as an out-of-control bushfire burning in the Namadgi National Park approached.

The fire has been described by Chief Minister Andrew Barr as the most serious situation the ACT has faced since the 2003 bushfires.

The fire was downgraded to watch and act at 11.15pm on Tuesday and people in Tharwa Village, Boboyan Road, Apollo Road, and Top Naas Road were advised to remain vigilant.

Earlier the ACT Emergency Services Agency had said people in those areas should seek shelter.

The fire has started to spot close to Tharwa Village, the ESA said.

The fire was travelling in a north east and easterly direction towards these locations.

Crews were attacking the fire from both ground and air operations.

"Under current conditions, a fire is difficult to control. Firefighters are on scene and are preparing for property protection," the ESA said at 9.30pm.

The fire did not pose an immediate threat to properties in Canberra suburbs as of 9.30pm, but ESA commissioner Georgeina Whelan said the fire was spotting and the distance to town areas would reduce in coming hours.

People in Banks, Conder, Gordon, Smiths Road and the remote area of Orroral Valley should activate their bushfire plans or identify where they would go if they need to leave.

People in Calwell,Theodore and surrounding areas are advised to monitor the situation and stay up to date.

The ESA was undertaking doorknocking in Banks, Gordon and Conder on Tuesday evening.

"This is not an evacuation, the ESA has not issued an evacuation warning for these suburbs," an ESA statement said.

Tharwa resident of 42 years Kevin Hogan was staying back late on Tuesday afternoon to defend his property from possible ember attack as the Orroral Valley fire approached.

He had 2500 litres of water ready and bought a pump and hoses more than a week ago to defend his home.

"Best thing I've ever done," Mr Hogan said.

"I just had a feeling it had to happen in ACT after what's been going on everywhere else.

"I couldn't understand how a fire never started in those real windy days."

Mr Hogan was confident Tharwa village would be OK despite the approaching fire.

"We've got plenty of river water and we'll keep the town water supply up."

He felt better prepared compared with the 2003 Canberra bushfires.

Smoke was billowing into the sky from behind Mt Tennent near Mr Hogan's property as a water tanker dropped retardant on the fire.

The Orroral Valley fire, which started on Monday, was upgraded from a watch and act level about 1.20pm on Tuesday, and as of 9:30pm was 8106 hectares. At one stage it had been expanding at about 400 hectares each hour.

Ms Whelan said the fire was spotting and the distance to town areas would reduce in coming hours.

"There's been increased fire activity this afternoon as a consequence of cloud cover being broken," Ms Whelan said.

"This has seen fire behaviour increase resulting in spotting to the north, east and south of the fire.

"We should expect more difficult weather in coming days and challenging fire conditions."

The fire danger rating in the ACT was upgraded on Tuesday afternoon from very high to severe.

A map of the bushfire-affected areas in the Namadgi National Park as of 12.30pm on January 28. Picture: ACT Emergency Services Agency

An evacuation centre has been set up at Erindale College.

Evacuation areas for those with horses and livestock have been set up at Exhibition Park.

Ms Whelan said liaison officers had been speaking with residents in affected areas on Tuesday morning and doorknocking efforts were being carried out by defence force personnel.

If residents were unable to leave, the ESA has advised residents to:

• Bring pets inside
  
• Keep smoke out of the house by closing windows and doors, sealing the gaps under doors and screens with wet towels
• Fill containers such as your bath, sinks, and buckets with water so you have access to drinking and firefighting water
• Identify a safe spot to shelter in, which should be a place with more than one exit, preferably inside a brick building, away from windows and doors. The safest spot is the place that will keep you furthest away from the intense heat from the fire. As the fire approaches and passes, the safest spot will change so be ready to move.
• Listen to local radio for updates.

The Emergency Services in Canberra have drawn up an evacuation plan for the city's southern suburbs if the Orroral Valley fire in the Namadgi National Park spreads to threaten housing within the ACT.

Ms Whelan urged every person in Canberra - and not just those closest to the fire - to draw up a plan for what they do in the worst case scenario.

She said her colleagues in emergency services were working with people in the transport department of the ACT government to make sure that there were enough buses available to ferry people to safety.

"We aren't catastrophising," she said, "and we don't want to alarm the community but we want the community to remain alert and to think about how they can help the Emergency Services Agency to help them."

She said the authorities were putting together plans "across the scenarios and one of those scenarios is that the southern suburbs will have to be evacuated."

Earlier, Ms Whelan said several options had been developed to address the fire, taking into account the spotting, terrain, fuel load and unpredictable nature of fire activity seen during the bushfire season.

"We need the community to remain alert not alarmed," Ms Whelan said.

Ms Whelan urged people to monitor updates on the ESA website and social media channels and through local media.

"It is important that you don't rely on just one source of information," she said.

ESA held a community meeting in Tharwa on Tuesday morning and at the community centre in Uriarra at 6pm.

A total fire ban has been declared for the ACT until midnight on Friday.

The territory is set to experience extreme heatwave conditions on Thursday and Friday with the temperature forecast to reach into the 40s.

READ MORE:

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read Again https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMihAFodHRwczovL3d3dy5jYW5iZXJyYXRpbWVzLmNvbS5hdS9zdG9yeS82NjAyMjk2L2l0cy1ub3ctdG9vLWxhdGUtdG8tbGVhdmUtdGhhcndhLWFzLW9ycm9yYWwtdmFsbGV5LWZpcmUtYnVybnMtYXQtd2F0Y2gtYW5kLWFjdC1sZXZlbC_SAQA?oc=5

Bagikan Berita Ini