Seven people are missing as catastrophic bushfires rage across the country, a day after a third volunteer firefighter died when his truck flipped amid a “fire tornado.”
Three civilians are missing, feared dead, in the NSW townships of Cobargo and Belowra, on the south coast, says Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons.
Another four people are missing in the Victorian bushfires, Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed.
“We have real fears for their safety,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has paid tribute to the latest volunteer firefighter to die.
Samuel McPaul, 28, was killed when his truck flipped amid a “fire tornado” at Jingellic, about 110km east of Albury in NSW, on Monday night.
Two other NSW volunteers were killed on December 19 when a tree hit their tanker southwest of Sydney, bringing the total number of lives lost this bushfire season across the country to 11.
Morrison said in a statement he had spoken to McPaul’s expectant wife Megan and added that McPaul was “the best of us”.
“It is an unimaginable loss and one felt by the entire country,” he said.
There are 15 fire emergencies in place in NSW and Victoria with fires burning from Western Australia to the east coast.
The unrelenting fire season has seen almost 1000 homes destroyed and blackened more than four million hectares of land.
Authorities have confirmed more homes have been lost with significant property and stock losses expected across Victoria, with the worst yet to come as “dynamic and dangerous” fires sweep through communities.
Up to 4000 people fled their homes and headed to the beach in the Victorian coastal community of Mallacoota, hit by fire from about 8.30 am on Tuesday.
Images shared on social media show terrifying conditions with pitch-black skies as the town came under ember attack.
“What we saw across the state was more than 200 new fires yesterday, a further 60 new fires that started from midnight last night,” said Andrew Crisp, Emergency Management Commissioner.
Properties have been lost throughout East Gippsland but it’s too early to confirm how many, he said.
The fires grew rapidly overnight due to winds and lightning strikes, ripping through more than 230,000 hectares.
Emergency warnings, the highest alert level, remain in place across East Gippsland and there is another in place for a fire straddling the northeast Victoria-NSW border at Walwa/Corryong.
Extreme fire conditions are also expected in NSW, for the Southern Ranges, Illawarra and ACT on New Year’s Eve while surrounding regions – including Sydney, the Hunter and the far south coast – are set for severe fire danger.
Strong westerly winds are expected, pushing fires east and placing coastal communities and holiday hotspots under threat.
Warning levels for a string of bushfires burning on the South Australian mainland have all been reduced but concerns remain for two blazes still uncontrolled on Kangaroo Island.
A watch-and-act message remains in place for those fires at Ravine on the western end of the island as they continue to burn towards the north coast.
In southern Western Australia, a large bushfire continues to rage in the Stirling Range National Park with a watch and act warning in place for local residents.
More than 40 fires continue to burn across the state, with several near Esperance, on the southern coast, also of concern.
There has been an international call for help made to the US and Canada and the Australian Defence Force are expected to help with the fires.
