What we learned: Thursday, 21 December
With that, we will wrap the blog for the evening. As ever, we’ll be back first thing tomorrow. Until then, it’s the 21st of December - Happy Gravy Day, everyone.
Here were today’s major developments:
Multiple homes are feared lost in Parkerville as firefighters battle to contain a blaze in the eastern suburbs of Perth. An emergency warning remains in place, with residents urged to evacuate the area.
Meanwhile, severe thunderstorm warnings are active for central and south-eastern parts of Queensland as the recovery effort continues following Cyclone Jasper. More than 1,000 properties have been damaged, while a small number of rural communities remain isolated as focus turns to Cape York.
The Greens have launched an online portal for whistleblowers on the practices of Coles and Woolworths, in the lead-up to the Senate inquiry into price gouging.
A man has been charged over an alleged arson attack on the Sydney home of popular YouTube personality Friendlyjordies.
And, ahead of a busy travel period, only 54.3% of Virgin flights and 66.3% of Qantas flights arrived on time domestically in November, new data released by the transport minister shows.
More on WA bushfires
AAP has more on the bushfires in Western Australia.
The fire in the hills east of Perth is the fourth emergency-level blaze in the state in the past 48 hours.
Television news footage appears to show flames and smoke billowing from at least one property and a vehicle as water bombers attack the fire from above.
Power has been cut to more than 150 properties and roads in and out of the densely wooded area were closed.
A second emergency-level blaze in the Shire of Manjimup in the state’s south-west for Callcup, Crowea and Meerup has been downgraded to “watch and act”.
Light rain has started falling in the area, but residents have been warned the blaze remains out of control and continues to pose a threat.
The fire has burned about 3,000 hectares of vegetation and there have been reports of damage to sheds, fences and farm equipment.
The threat has also eased in the Wheatbelt, where an emergency-level bushfire in the Shire of Toodyay was downgraded early on Thursday.
A “watch and act” alert remains in place for parts of West Toodyay, Coondle and Julimar, with authorities warning it is contained but not controlled.
The fire has burned about 155 hectares of vegetation and residents have been told it is still not safe to return to their homes.
A fourth bushfire that threatened the fishing town of Lancelin, 126km north of Perth, was declared contained and controlled early on Thursday morning.
The blaze burned through about 89 hectares as it raced towards homes in windy conditions late on Wednesday, forcing some residents to shelter on the town’s jetty and beaches.
The single road in and out of the town has been reopened, with emergency services escorting vehicles through the fireground.
Updated
