Friday 4 January 2002

Weather map offers no relief - DAY 11: NO RESPITE, The Australian, 4 January, 2002.

Weather map offers no relief - DAY 11: NO RESPITE: [1 Edition]

Stapleton, John. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 04 Jan 2002: 2.
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Temperatures in Sydney reached 28C on the coast and 30C in the western suburbs yesterday. Today is expected to be much thesame -- dry, gusty and reasonably hot, with 26C on the coast and 30C inland.
Monday is the next most dangerous day, with temperatures expected to hit 39C in western Sydney and 33C closer to the coast. A total fire ban is in force throughout NSW, with high to very high fire danger.
THERE is no rain in sight. While the weekend is expected to be slightly cooler than the extreme conditions earlier this week , this good fortune is not expected to last.
Forecasts for next Monday are for fire conditions to be as bad as ever, with hot, dry and gusty conditions hindering firefighters.
The present extreme fire conditions across coastal NSW are due to a rare repeating pattern of slow-moving low pressure systems in the Southern Ocean.
A new low pressure system expected to track across Tasmania early next week is the third such virtually identical system in a row.
Temperatures in Sydney reached 28C onthecoast and 30C inthewestern suburbs yesterday. Today is expected to be muchthesame -- dry, gusty and reasonably hot, with 26C onthecoast and 30C inland.       
A southerly change predicted to come through Sydney and surrounding regions late today is unlikely to bring relief, with no rain forecast. The southerly could change the direction of flames and cause more problems.
Monday isthenext most dangerous day, with temperatures expected to hit 39C in western Sydney and 33C closer tothecoast. A total fire ban is in force throughout NSW, with high to very high fire danger.    
Illustration
Caption: Maps 'NSW emergency' and 'Sydney' and table 'Roads closed last night' available - see image for details; Photo: MapTable
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Thursday 3 January 2002

Ill wind blows fire and ice - BUSHFIRE CRISIS, The Australian, 3 January, 2002.

Ill wind blows fire and ice - BUSHFIRE CRISIS: [1 Edition]

John Stapleton, James Madden, Leisa Scott. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 03 Jan 2002: 2.
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As one third of NSW burned yesterday, tourists at Victoria's Mount Hotham resort built snowmen as the state's chilly weather continued.
Meanwhile, hot, dry and windy conditions prevailed in Sydney with temperatures reaching 42C at Evans Head on the NSW north coast.
There are fears temperatures in Sydney will once again climb into the 30s by Sunday with a total fire ban in force throughout NSW.
WHAT NSW wouldn't give for some of Victoria's weather right now.
As one third of NSW burned yesterday, tourists at Victoria's Mount Hotham resort built snowmen as the state's chilly weather continued.
Snow also fell in the Snowy Mountains in NSW, as bizarre weather patterns gripped the country.
In northern Australia, a cyclone warning was issued as gale- force winds up to 100kph were expected to whip the west coast of theGulf of Carpentaria today.
Meanwhile, hot, dry and windy conditions prevailed in Sydney with temperatures reaching 42C at Evans Head on the NSW north coast.
Coffs Harbour, Grafton, Lismore, Kempsey and other northern towns also reached a rare 40C degrees. Temperatures are expected to ease in coming days but no significant rainfall is in sight.
The unusual weather pattern is still being caused by a deep low south of Tasmania which has been extremely slow moving. It replaced an equally slow low pressure system, which had dominated for the previous week.
The low pressure system is pushing cool southwesterly winds into the southern states, hence the snow, but further north the same winds are swinging around and coming in across the Blue Mountains and down on to the coastal plains as hot, dry westerlies.
As the winds sink down from the Great Dividing Range, the winds heat up and the moisture is sucked out of them. As a result, humidity levels have reached near record lows all week.
The next few days should see winds shift more to the south and southwest, contributing to lower temperatures, which are forecast to be in the high 20s for Sydney today and tomorrow.
There are fears temperatures in Sydney will once again climb into the 30s by Sunday with a total fire ban in force throughout NSW.
Normally, these conditions would not be sufficient to trigger fire bans or bushfires.
Yesterday, a cyclone warning was declared for coastal and island communities from Port McArthur in the Northern Territory to Karumba in Queensland.
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Wednesday 2 January 2002

People flee fires on coast - RESURGENT DANGER, 2 January, 2002.

People flee fires on coast - RESURGENT DANGER: [1 Edition]

Stapleton, John. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 02 Jan 2002: 2.
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Residents of the villages of Berarra, Basin View and Cudmirrah were told last night to prepare to evacuate their homes, as fears grew that the fires would jump the Pacific Highway.
With fires burning through the bushland west of Wollongong, there were also fears that the fires could encroach into suburban parts of the Illawarra, including Mount Kiera, Mount Kembla and Mount Ousley. Considerable fire fighting resources were being putting out spot fires near the city.
RESIDENTS and holidaymakers on the NSW south coast were either evacuated or preparing to flee their homes last night after fires that had raged since Christmas Day jumped containment lines.
Residents south of Nowra, in the coastal areas of Sussex Inlet around St George's Basin, were asked to evacuate their homes or camp sites.
A NSW police spokeswoman said that the south coast townships of Wandandian and Bewong had forced evacuations at around 6 pm.
And residents of the villages of Berarra, Basin View and Cudmirrah were told last night to prepare to evacuate their homes, as fears grew that the fires would jump the Pacific Highway.
Further south the fire in the Deua National Park was being pushed into the park's inaccessible interior, with fire control authorities expecting it to move into the adjoining Damper State Forest west of Bodalla. If that were to occur landholders between Moruya and Bodalla would be under direct threat.
With fires burning through the bushland west of Wollongong, there were also fears that the fires could encroach into suburban parts of the Illawarra, including Mount Kiera, Mount Kembla and Mount Ousley. Considerable fire fighting resources were being putting out spot fires near the city.
Peter O'Neill of the State Emergency Service said there were serious concerns that high winds were creating firestorm conditions, with fire fighters abandoning some fires in the Shoalhaven area.
`People are very concerned, especially around Sussex Inlet," Mr O'Neill said.
"There are a lot of tourists there who have not experienced bush fires before. They don't understand how fires work or what to do."
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Forecast dashes hopes for rain - RESURGENT DANGER, The Australian, 2 January, 2002.

Forecast dashes hopes for rain - RESURGENT DANGER: [1 Edition]

Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 02 Jan 2002: 2.
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Hot, dry and windy conditions are forecast and there is no rain in sight at least until the weekend. Temperatures reached 37C in Sydney and 39C in the western suburbs yesterday, the hottest New Year's Day for 24 years and the third hottest on record.
The low-pressure system across the Southern Ocean southwest of Tasmania that is causing the present pattern is a slow-moving one. Temperatures are forecast to gradually fall over the coming days, but eastern NSW will have at least one more day of very warm, windy weather with tops into the low 30s.
Temperatures are expected to drop late in the week as the winds move to the southwest, bringing cooler air. Humidity was almost as low yesterday as on Christmas Day, and the air is expected to remain dry throughout the week. Smoke from the NSW fires is already providing New Zealanders with spectacular sunsets.
YESTERDAY was the day many weather forecasters and firefighters feared would be the worst in the NSW fight against bushfires, and today offers no reprieve.
Hot, dry and windy conditions are forecast and there is no rain in sight at least until the weekend. Temperatures reached 37C in Sydney and 39C in the western suburbs yesterday, the hottest New Year's Day for 24 years and the third hottest on record.
Very high to extreme fire conditions are expected throughout the Sydney metropolitan area, the Illawarra, Mid-North Coast and Hunter Valley today.
Extreme fire warnings are also current for the Northern, Central and Southern tablelands, and the Northwest Slopes and Plains. There is a total fire ban throughout NSW.
Winds are expected to pick up throughout the day, with gusts of up to 60 km/h by early afternoon adding to the fire danger.
In Sydney, hot gusty westerlies scorched the suburbs and fanned bushfires.
"The conditions are the worst type of weather for bushfires," Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Peter Dunda said. "The extreme fire danger will not let up throughout the day."
Fire authorities are warning everyone living near bushland to be prepared, although residents are being urged to remain calm and not evacuate unless asked by police or emergency personnel.
Don White, of consultancy firm Weatherwatch, said: "Today is going to be the type of day which on its own would not be disastrous, but because there are so many fires burning, the conditions will only exacerbate the bushfires.
"Some of the fires are now so large they are setting up their own mini weather conditions." This means erratic wind patterns and, therefore, unpredictable fire behaviour.
The low-pressure system across the Southern Ocean southwest of Tasmania that is causing the present pattern is a slow-moving one. Temperatures are forecast to gradually fall over the coming days, but eastern NSW will have at least one more day of very warm, windy weather with tops into the low 30s.
Temperatures are expected to drop late in the week as the winds move to the southwest, bringing cooler air. Humidity was almost as low yesterday as on Christmas Day, and the air is expected to remain dry throughout the week. Smoke from the NSW fires is already providing New Zealanders with spectacular sunsets.
There is some hope the weather patterns might change soon. A tropical cyclone developing in the Gulf of Carpentaria is an indication the weather might start reverting to more typical patterns for January. This could mean mean higher humidity, a greater chance of rain and an end to westerly winds.
Illustration
Photo: Map
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People flee blazes on coast - DESPERATE START TO NEW YEAR, The Australian, 2 January, 2002.

People flee blazes on coast - DESPERATE START TO NEW YEAR: [2 Edition]

Stapleton, John. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 02 Jan 2002: 2.
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With fires burning through the bushland west of Wollongong, there were also fears the fires could encroach into suburban parts of the Illawarra, including Mount Kiera, Mount Kembla and Mount Ousley. Considerable firefighting resources were being put into tackling spot fires near the city.

RESIDENTS and holidaymakers on the NSW south coast were either evacuated or preparing to flee their homes last night after fires that had raged since Christmas Day jumped containment lines.
Residents south of Nowra, in the coastal areas of Sussex Inlet around St George's Basin, were asked to evacuate their homes or camp sites.
A NSW police spokeswoman said that the south coast townships of Wandandian and Bewong had forced evacuations at about 6pm.
And residents of the villages of Berarra, Basin View and Cudmirrah were told last night to prepare to evacuate their homes, as fears grew that the fires would jump the Pacific Highway.
Further south the fire in the Deua National Park was being pushed into the park's inaccessible interior, with fire control authorities expecting it to move into the adjoining Damper State Forest west of Bodalla. If that were to occur landholders between Moruya and Bodalla would be under direct threat.
With fires burning through the bushland west of Wollongong, there were also fears the fires could encroach into suburban parts of the Illawarra, including Mount Kiera, Mount Kembla and Mount Ousley. Considerable firefighting resources were being put into tackling spot fires near the city.
Peter O'Neill of the State Emergency Service said there were serious concerns that high winds were creating firestorm conditions, with firefighters abandoning some fires in the Shoalhaven area.
"People are very concerned, especially around Sussex Inlet," Mr O'Neill said.
"There are a lot of tourists there who have not experienced bush fires before. They don't understand how fires work or what to do."
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Tuesday 1 January 2002

Rush of accidents lifts road toll to 46, The Australian, 1 January, 2002.

Rush of accidents lifts road toll to 46: [1 Edition]

Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 01 Jan 2002: 2.
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NSW is the worst hit, with a toll of 20. Nine people have died in Queensland, eight in Victoria and three each in the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia.
In NSW, a man believed to be in his 20s was killed in a two-car collision at Anna Bay, north of Sydney. The 64-year-old driver of the other car sustained serious injuries and was flown to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle.
THE holiday road toll reached 46 yesterday as a string of fatalities in all the main states over a 48-hour period dashed hopes of a good Christmas-New Year season on the roads.
NSW is the worst hit, with a toll of 20. Nine people have died in Queensland, eight in Victoria and three each in the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia.
No one has been killed in the ACT and Tasmania.
A 21-year-old man died on Sunday night after his car hit a tree northwest of Perth.
A 53-year-old cyclist was killed in Adelaide after colliding with a car. The woman, from the suburb of West Lakes, died at the scene.
Early yesterday, a man died in Caboolture Hospital in Queensland after a car accident north of Brisbane that killed another person. A man from one of thevehicles was flown by helicopter to the Royal Brisbane Hospital with multiple injuries.
In NSW, a man believed to be in his 20s was killed in a two-car collision at Anna Bay, north of Sydney. The 64-year-old driver of the other car sustained serious injuries and was flown to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle.
The holiday season's national road toll is one down on last year, when 47 people were killed up to December 30.
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