‘Numerous houses’ misplaced in fires in Victorian city of Ruffy
George Noye, the captain of the Nation Fireplace Authority in Ruffy, Victoria, spoke to ABC Information this morning after the city was hit by the Longwood bushfire.
Noye stated the fireplace had been “completely devastating”, saying the world had misplaced “numerous houses”. He stated:
The city’s been impacted severely. The primary avenue seems to be like a bomb’s gone off.
We’ve misplaced a college. The CFA shed’s nonetheless standing.
In the meanwhile, even to get across the roads is … harmful and dangerous.
He added: “The college not operates nevertheless it was a group hub for us the place a variety of stuff befell. It’s completely devastating to see it go.”
Noye stated the group was in shock, including there wasn’t a lot firefighters might do within the coming days amid scorching, dry and windy circumstances.
We’ve been by fireplace earlier than, however that is the primary time we’ve been absolutely hit with the fireplace entrance. The group is extremely resilient and we are going to get by this.
We did our greatest. Fortunately we’re all alive.
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Cait Kelly
‘There’s nothing left’
Darryl Otzen was preventing the fires in Ruffy when he realised he had misplaced his personal home. He stated the Ruffy township and surrounding areas have been decimated.
You’ve acquired farms up there which can be fully impacted. Most individuals have misplaced all feed, all hay that’s simply been purchased. All the pieces’s gone. A number of properties and homes are gone.
The township of Ruffy… there’s nothing left now. The CFA shed continues to be there, however that’s only a huge tin shed. I feel that the corridor was nonetheless standing too, though the property subsequent to it burned down.
Numerous properties are very closely impacted, and it’s nonetheless burning up right here.
He was together with his crew, attempting to make their method again to Ruffy township, once they stopped at a few of his neighbours to assist them. That was when he realised his place was gone.
You couldn’t see the home from the smoke. All of the bushes down the highway have been absolutely alight, and it was like, properly, we are able to’t even get in there. Simply hold going.
And my neighbour did go up a bit bit later and had a glance and stated that was, sadly, nothing there.
It’s a little bit of shit if you’ve been out for 2 and a half days, and also you come again on the truck and drive previous what was your home. It’s not so nice.
‘Numerous houses’ misplaced in fires in Victorian city of Ruffy
George Noye, the captain of the Nation Fireplace Authority in Ruffy, Victoria, spoke to ABC Information this morning after the city was hit by the Longwood bushfire.
Noye stated the fireplace had been “completely devastating”, saying the world had misplaced “numerous houses”. He stated:
The city’s been impacted severely. The primary avenue seems to be like a bomb’s gone off.
We’ve misplaced a college. The CFA shed’s nonetheless standing.
In the meanwhile, even to get across the roads is … harmful and dangerous.
He added: “The college not operates nevertheless it was a group hub for us the place a variety of stuff befell. It’s completely devastating to see it go.”
Noye stated the group was in shock, including there wasn’t a lot firefighters might do within the coming days amid scorching, dry and windy circumstances.
We’ve been by fireplace earlier than, however that is the primary time we’ve been absolutely hit with the fireplace entrance. The group is extremely resilient and we are going to get by this.
We did our greatest. Fortunately we’re all alive.
Ley welcomes royal fee, however says it must probe Albanese’s efforts on antisemitism
Opposition chief Sussan Ley additionally spoke to RN this morning, saying the Coalition welcomed the royal fee, noting it had been calling for one for weeks after the Bondi assault.
Ley stated:
This was all the time above politics, all the time concerning the nationwide curiosity within the face of a nationwide disaster. And it’s simply so necessary that the work of this royal fee unravel and reveal actions and inactions from Anthony Albanese’s authorities, significantly over the past two years.
She went on to say the royal fee wanted to “confront antisemitism”, questioning the federal government’s work to take action:
We’d query whether or not he [Albanese] and his ministers actually perceive the problem that this nation is going through with antisemitism. And I imply, if the prime minister had been as decided to eradicate antisemitism in Australia over the previous three years … our nation could not have discovered itself within the place we do at this time.
Lawyer normal says PM took ‘time to get this proper’ earlier than calling Bondi royal fee
Michelle Rowland, the legal professional normal, stated the prime minister had taken “time to get this proper” as the federal government ready to name a federal royal fee after the Bondi terror assault.
She instructed RN Breakfast:
The prime minister and the federal government have listened to individuals, significantly the Australian Jewish group, and that listening has not been about politics, it’s about getting The correct end result for our nationwide unity and our nationwide safety.
This is a chance not just for voices to be heard within the type of a royal fee, but in addition to take suggestions ahead and likewise to proceed the necessary work that the federal government has been doing within the final 4 weeks or so to make sure that our response to this prioritises nationwide safety and social cohesion in the long run.
Rowland stated the opposition had been participating in politicking surrounding the calling of a royal fee, including:
I additionally would warning those that would search to attempt to direct how they assume the royal commissioner ought to function or how this could run. They need to be very cautious in how they make these feedback as a result of this isn’t solely the best type of inquisitorial course of that’s on this nation, nevertheless it’s additionally one that’s broadly revered.
Head of CFA says each Victorian must ‘take discover and take motion’ at this time
The specter of new and quickly spreading bushfires stays extraordinarily excessive throughout all the state, Heffernan stated, urging residents to remain up-to-date with emergency apps and broadcasts all through the day.
He stated:
At this time goes to be a busy and unstable day for firefighters and fireplace authorities and communities
If a hearth begins, it will take maintain shortly. It would unfold in a short time. If firefighters don’t get to that fireside within the very early phases and it takes maintain, that fireside will probably be uncontrollable and almost certainly not capable of be put out.
Properties misplaced in Victorian fires as state braces for ‘hectic and unstable’ day
Jason Heffernan, the chief officer of Victoria’s Nation Fireplace Authority, stated plenty of properties have been misplaced in a bushfire across the Longwood space, warning residents throughout the state to be ready for a “hectic and unstable” day amid a extreme heatwave.
Heffernan spoke to RN Breakfast this morning, saying he was “not stunned to listen to” that properties had been misplaced as circumstances have been “excessive yesterday, catastrophic at this time”:
Victorians ought to brace for extra property loss or worse at this time. That’s how extreme these circumstances are in the meanwhile, not solely on the Longwood fireplace however throughout the state.
My message in the meanwhile to Victorians is sure, we’re speaking about Longwood and Walwa, however we’ve many different fires which have began this morning in and round communities … I’m anticipating extra because the day goes on.
Superyacht sinks in Sydney marina after fireplace
A big superyacht has sunk after a hearth in a Sydney marina and one other is anticipated to sink within the coming hours, officers stated this morning.
Emergency crews have been referred to as to the marina within the suburb of Mosman round 3.30 this morning. 4 individuals have been handled for smoke inhalation and crews have been working to maintain the fireplace from spreading to different vessels close by.
Adam Dewberry, the superintendent of Fireplace and Rescue NSW, instructed ABC Radio Sydney this morning:
A kind of yachts has sunk. We anticipate the opposite one will sink as properly. We’ll even be wanting and dealing with the port’s authorities to include any contaminated fuels and oils out of the vessels.
MOSMAN – FRNSW , Port Authority and NSW Police working to extinguish plenty of vessels on fireplace within the marina on the western aspect of the Spit Bridge. Known as in simply earlier than 3:30am. pic.twitter.com/nBwcWcRPNy
— Fireplace and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) January 8, 2026
Good morning, and comfortable Friday. Nick Visser right here to take over as we wrap up the week. Let’s get to it.
Queensland on alert for extreme climate and doable cyclone
North-east Queensland is underneath a extreme climate warning and flood watches and warnings as a tropical low threatens to show right into a tropical cyclone.
As of 4am on Friday the low was about 95km from the coast, with sustained winds of 55km/h and gusts as much as 85km/h. The system was anticipated to take a pointy flip southwards at this time, heading for Townsville, with a “reasonable” likelihood it can decide up sufficient power to be classed a cyclone when it crosses the coast on the weekend.
The BoM stated if the danger of a tropical cyclone will increase additional, then gales with wind gusts to 120 km/h could develop throughout Friday and Saturday initially about uncovered coastal components between Port Douglas and Proserpine, together with Cairns and Townsville.
As our story on devastating inventory losses in Queensland factors out, even when it’s not technically a cyclone, additional downpours could possibly be very unhealthy information for these inland.
Rooftop photo voltaic reportedly easing file demand for energy throughout heatwave
An fascinating side of the heatwave is highlighted by a report within the Monetary Evaluate this morning about how file demand for energy on the grid is being eased by rooftop photo voltaic.
The article says that demand within the nationwide electrical energy market reached its highest-ever stage at about 4pm on Wednesday with the nation drawing 38.9 gigawatts.
That beat a earlier file set in December 2024, the article says.
Whereas previously that may have positioned pressure on the grid, rooftop photo voltaic got here to the rescue with about 12GW of energy, making up virtually 30% of the demand.
All renewables sources collectively – so wind energy and hydro – met 67% of demand.
So though that’s excellent news, as a result of there may be nonetheless not sufficient battery storage, by the point the solar went down many of the nation’s demand was met by coal and gasoline.
‘We needed to pack up what was treasured’
On the Seymour catastrophe aid centre in Victoria, the Black Summer season bushfires are nonetheless a nightmarish reminiscence for individuals in search of shelter.
Cait Kelly went alongside to talk to a number of the individuals taking shelter.
“We needed to pack up what was treasured,” one says. “We’ve acquired photographs and paperwork, a few of my needlework that’s framed, however what do you’re taking when you’ve got a home filled with stuff you need to hold? … We simply must hold our fingers crossed and hope.”
Hume Freeway closed and regional trains cancelled amid Victorian bushfires
Victoria’s Hume Freeway was closed final night time and regional trains have been cancelled as firefighters from no less than two states fought bushfires within the worst heatwave to descend on Australia since 2019-20.
As Melbourne ready for a forecast of 41C at this time the performing premier, Ben Carroll, described Victoria as “one of the vital bushfire-prone areas on the planet”.
“There may be additionally the true danger of heat-related sickness all through the state tomorrow.”
The state well being division urged Victorians “to be ready – keep hydrated, keep indoors as a lot as doable and be sure to check-in on family members”.
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our stay information weblog. I’m Martin Farrer with the highest in a single day tales after which Nick Visser will decide up the information thread.
Firefighters are getting ready for catastrophic circumstances throughout many components of Victoria at this time after every week of scorching temperatures. The complete state is underneath a complete fireplace ban and parks and tenting grounds are closed. There are additionally excessive fireplace hazard scores for a lot of South Australia and the New South Wales Riverina. We’ve got extra arising.
On the different finish of the continent, the BoM estimates a few 50/50 likelihood of a tropical cyclone crossing the coast in Queensland this weekend. Extra on that too, quickly.
