Sydney’s famous New Year’s Eve fireworks display could be SCRAPPED due to fire risk – with authorities set to wait until the day itself to see if the forecast ‘catastrophic’ conditions eventuate
- Sydney’s iconic fireworks will likely be cancelled if conditions are catastrophic
- The decision will effect fireworks in the CBD and in the wider metro area
- A meeting was held on Saturday to discuss the hazardous conditions
- It comes after the Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said it would continue
Sydney’s famous New Year’s Eve fireworks display may be scrapped due to bushfire risks as temperatures look set to soar above 35C.
A meeting was held on Saturday with high-level government departments, rural fire services, the City of Sydney Council and NSW Police to discuss potential issues involving the fires.
If conditions on Tuesday are rated as ‘catastrophic’ it is believed the $6.5million display will be cancelled – along with smaller firework events across the state.
Sydney’s iconic fireworks display on New year’s Eve could be scrapped if fire risks are rated as catastrophic on Tuesday
The Sunday Telegraph reported a leaked email, sent from the Northern Beaches council, stated a decision was made before Christmas to cancel the event if the dangerous conditions were met.
It is believed a strong northerly wind will blow through the state on Tuesday before switching to a southerly conditions during the celebrations, however that could change.
Several local councils in NSW have already cancelled their New Year’s fireworks celebrations due to the fire danger – with many donating the funding to bushfire victims instead.
It comes after a meeting was held on Saturday with high-level government departments, rural fire services, the City of Sydney Council and NSW Police to discuss potential issues involving the fires
The Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore has stated repeatedly that firework celebrations would continue despite the hazardous conditions.
Several petitions have called for the display to be scrapped in favour of donating funds to the NSW drought and bushfire relief.
By Saturday evening, one of the petitions garnered almost 261,000 online signatures.
In a separate survey conducted by the Daily Mail Australia, over 86 per cent of people were in favour of abandoning the celebrations in favour of donating the funds to farmers.
Despite the outcry Ms Moore stated on December 10 that the fireworks were planned 15 months in advance and could not be cancelled.
She said the display generates $130 million for the NSW economy.
In earlier talks this month Ms Moore noted that cancelling the event would be of ‘little practical advantage’ to those in the bush
Several petitions have come in the wake of wide spread devastation that have seen farmers and home owners all over the country losing everything they own (pictured: Danny Wearne standing at his property that was damaged in bushfires in Rainbow Flat, NSW)
The City of Sydney celebrations – expected to attract one million people to the harbour foreshore – will top last year’s Harbour Bridge display with 1,100 additional firework effects lighting up the arches.
Several petitions have come in the wake of wide spread devastation that have seen farmers and home owners all over the country losing everything they own.
So far nine people have died and more than 900 homes have been destroyed in the 2019 fire season as large areas of New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Queensland have been incinerated.
So far nine people have died and more than 900 homes have been destroyed in the 2019 fire season