The day that was, Tuesday 31 October
That’s all for now – thanks for reading. Here are the main stories for the day:
Bushfires rage across Queensland and NSW, with about a dozen emergency warnings in place and several towns under threat.
Football Australia have decided not to bid for the 2034 Fifa World Cup.
The Victorian government will introduce laws that would keep serial killer Paul Denyer and other serious offenders locked up for life.
A man is believed to have been killed by a shark while surfing at Streaky Bay, in South Australia; and
Qantas warns it could have gone bust if hadn’t been able to offer new staff of its subsidiaries lower pay than the “legacy” conditions of the main airline.
We will see you back here for more news tomorrow.
Updated
Dry winds stymie firefighting efforts near Tenterfield
Wild, changing winds and hot conditions have confounded firefighting efforts around the town of Tenterfield today. A spokesperson for the RFS said Tenterfield was “burning under extreme fire conditions”.
“It’s a very dry fuel in the landscape… [it’s] incredibly windy in that area.”
A spokesperson emphasised there was still no direct threat to town, but advised locals who saw an unattended fire to call triple zero.
Heavy wind is helping to drive embers off several blazes burning in the surrounding countryside. “So we have had reports of ash and material making its way to Tenterfield,” they said.
“We need people to be aware, given the idea that embers can travel large distances.”
The RFS spokesperson said that reinforcements were on their way to the Tenterfield area and conditions were expected to ease tomorrow.
One landholder on the east side of Tenterfield reported twice feeling light rain earlier today. “The wind is so strong it is bending trees over”, he said.
Very strong fires can create their own weather, causing light rain and dry lightning.
The Lismore MP Janelle Saffin, who represents the area, had attempted to get to Tenterfield earlier today but thought better of it after the Ogilvie Drive fire cut the highway at Tabulum.
Saffin said the town had just installed a 200,000 litre water tank at the airport a fortnight ago. It was only partly full at the start of the emergency, but the council has sent tankers to refill it several times as RFS aircraft drain it for bombing sorties.
She said there was not much people outside the area can do to help until the fire is out.
“Send good messages and just back our fires in our rural fire service in all the way,” she said.
Updated
