Hundreds of thousands of Australians demand Sydney’s NYE fireworks be called off after day of destruction – with fears lives have been lost and entire towns incinerated
- Calls for Sydney’s New Year’s Eve fireworks to be cancelling at the last minute
- Comes on horror day of bushfire devastation along Australia’s east coast
- Authorities homes and lives have been lost in New South Wales and Victoria
- 281,000 have signed online petition in support of fireworks being scrapped
Thousands of Australians have joined a growing chorus of calls for Sydney’s world famous New Year’s Eve fireworks to be called off at the 11th hour after a horror day of bushfire devastation.
More than 281,000 people have signed a Change.org petition, calling for Tuesday night’s celebrations to be cancelled and give the money to drought-stricken farmers and tireless firefighters as the bushfire crisis hits frightening levels across the east coast.
Three people are believed to be dead and at least four homes have been lost as horrific bushfires continue to rip through the New South Wales south coast.
Authorities believe more than 4000 people are still stuck at Mallacoota in Victoria’s far east, which was hit by fire on Tuesday morning. Those trapped on the beach in the coastal holiday town were urged to go into the water as the fire closed in.
There were grave fears for four people believed to be missing while Victoria Emergency Services Commissioner Andrew Crisp confirmed ‘significant’ property losses across the region.
With Sydney’s harbour foreshore already packed with revellers, there are still calls for the city’s world famous fireworks (pictured January 1 2019) to be called off at the 11th hour
The NSW Rural Fire Service gave Sydney’s fireworks display the green light to go ahead on Monday, despite despite a total fire ban across New South Wales with blazes still ravaging the state.
Thousands have signed an online petition calling on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to intervene.
‘2019 has been a catastrophic year in Australia for Floods and Fires. Give the money we spend on fireworks New Years Eve to farmers and firefighters and animal carers. Save AUSTRALIA’s Wildlife,’ the petition states.
‘$5.8 million was spent in Sydney alone for fireworks last year. All states should say NO to fireworks. This may traumatise some people as there is enough smoke in the air.’
A number of councils in Sydney and across the state have cancelled their New Year’s Eve celebrations in the wake of bushfires, including Parramatta, Wollongong, Campbelltown, Huskisson, Armidale, Maitland and Canberra.
In Sydney’s CBD, popular vantage points of the fireworks at Bradleys Head and North Head will be closed due to ‘extreme bushfire risk’.
The bushfire crisis hits frightening levels across Australia’s east coast (pictured)
Thousands of revellers in Sydney have braved the heat to claim the best vantage points
Deputy Premier of NSW John Barilaro is among those in favour of Sydney’s fireworks celebrations being cancelled.
But many businesses plan all year for parties on the Harbour and the event is a major drawcard for tourist operators.
A defiant Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore believes is climate change is the real issue – not fireworks.
‘The compelling issue here is climate change,’ she told reporters.
‘Australia is burning – our national parks and our native animals are being decimated and our communities are being devastated. People have lost homes, people have died, firefighters have been killed defending communities.
‘As the driest continent on earth we’re at the forefront of accelerating global warming. What is happening is a wake up call for our governments to start making effective contributions to reducing global emissions.’
Authorities believe more than 4000 people are stuck on the the beach in the Victoria coastal holiday town of Mallacoota (pictured on Tuesday) as a raging bushfire closes in
Premier Gladys Berejiklian admitted to ‘mixed feelings’ about the fireworks display amid elevated bushfire risk and the death of a volunteer firefighter near the NSW-Victoria border.
‘Many of us have mixed feelings about this evening but the important thing we take out of this is that we’re resilient as a state,’ Ms Berejiklian said.
‘As a state, we always need to think about the future, and given the RFS has said it’s safe for the state to proceed or for the City of Sydney Council to proceed with those activities tonight, that’s what will happen.’
The bushfire crisis has destroyed 911 homes across NSW so far this season.