Conditions ease as SA sees property loss

TWELVE homes have been lost in South Australia as thousands of hectares lay scorched across the state.

But easing weather conditions have enabled firefighters to gain the upper hand on a large blaze in the Eden Valley on Saturday night.

Residents of the small town of Truro were issued an emergency warning on Saturday afternoon, as the large fire made a run towards the Sturt Highway.

The SA Country Fire Service (CFS) warned that the blaze, which has burnt through more than 22,500 hectares since Friday, was putting lives and homes at risk.

But by about 8pm (CST) the CFS had downgraded the alert to a watch and act.

However, the CFS said weather conditions were erratic, so people should remain vigilant.

The downgrade came after about 160 firefighters were supported by nine aircraft at the fire throughout Saturday, a CFS spokesman told AAP.

The fire was one of five out-of-control blazes in the state.

Also of concern was a fire at Bangor in the southern Flinders Ranges, where the CFS said conditions were continually changing.

A watch and act alert was issued in the afternoon, with residents urged not to return to the area until advised.

But the CFS spokesman said crews had experienced a "pretty reasonable day", with milder conditions allowing firefighters to get the better of some blazes.

"We have had a day where we have been able to consolidate a lot of fires and nothing new has kicked off."

Five homes have been lost in the Bangor blaze, with two destroyed in the Billiat park region and five lost in Eden Valley.

However, the CFS said the number could increase as damage assessment crews were deployed.

There has been substantial stock losses.

Premier Jay Weatherill said it would be an achievement if the state came through the fires without loss of life or substantial property loss.

For those who have been affected, disaster relief assistance would be made available.

"For those people who have lost their homes and other property including livestock, this will be devastating," Mr Weatherill said in a statement on Saturday.

"We will respond to each and every one of those families to make sure that they have the support they need to be able to cope with the losses that they've suffered."

CFS assistant chief officer Rob Sandford said while firefighters had gained the upper hand, he called on people to remain on alert.

"Anywhere where we have had a fire in the last seven days, people need to be vigilant because whilst the threat may have reduced with the cooler temperatures, the wind is still reasonably strong and gusty," he told the ABC.

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Two face UK terror charges against Syria

TWO men are due to appear in London court charged with travelling to Syria intending to commit acts of terrorism.

Yusuf Sarwar and Mohammed Ahmed - both 21 and from Birmingham, central England - were arrested at Heathrow Airport on Monday after arriving on a flight from Turkey.

The men stand accused of travelling to Syria on or before May 15, 2013 via Istanbul, Turkey, "with the intention of committing acts of terrorism" and preparing to engage in acts of terrorism.

They will appear on Saturday at Westminster Magistrates Court in London.

Police have said the case is not connected to the arrest on Friday of another 21-year-old from Birmingham on suspicion of attending a terrorist training camp in Syria.

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Woman dead as Vic fires intensify

A BUSHFIRE that has claimed a woman's life is creating its own weather as it rages through a popular Victorian tourist region.

The Grampians blaze is one of 70 fires burning across Victoria, after the state suffered through a four-day heatwave and some of the worst fire conditions since Black Saturday.

The woman was found dead at her Roses Gap property, at the northeastern edge of the Grampians National Park, on Friday morning.

Tourists and most residents of Halls Gap and surrounding areas left the area on Friday after an evacuation notice was issued.

Halls Gap still faces a serious threat from the fire, which was bearing down on the town on Friday evening, pushed by 80-100km/h winds.

The Grampians complex has grown to 21,000 hectares in size and has created a 12km-wide convection column, generating its own weather and lightning strikes and sparking smaller spotfires.

Rohan McDonald, owner of the Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park, said a massive plume of smoke that resembled an atomic bomb was visible in the town.

He said his 100 campsites and 20 cabins had evacuated.

"They all started leaving last night when they saw the big red glow on top of the mountain," he told AAP.

Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said the fire risk would continue at the weekend.

"There will be pressure on those fires for some hours, extending into Saturday," he told reporters.

Mr Lapsley said Friday was only the beginning of a serious bushfire season.

"We're only at the start of what is a significant fire period," he said.

"Today is one of those days that certainly will be marked in the history of Victoria for the types of fires and the conditions that have led up to it."

The Grampians fire has caused building damage at the Troopers Creek Tavern and the Happy Wanderers Holiday Resort at Wartook while the CFA says the town of Heathvale has also been affected.

Mr Lapsley said the southwesterly change had brought with it strong winds, making the fire potentially lethal.

"There is a fair chance of losing property and even, if people are caught in the wrong space, a life could be lost," he said.

Victorian Premier Denis Napthine said the woman's death was a timely reminder about the importance of listening to bushfire warnings.

"This should be a very, very salient lesson to everybody that when you're told to leave, when you're told that there is a huge risk to your life and property, then your life is worth saving by leaving early," he said.

Fires have burnt through more than 40,000 hectares in the Mallee region and are expected to continue through the weekend.

In East Gippsland, in the eastern corner of the state, a series of 25 fires sparked by lightning were merging to create a single, massive bushfire which authorities warned could grow to half a million hectares in size.

Emergency Services Minister Kim Wells said the focus of firefighting efforts would be to protect crucial electricity transmission assets in the area.

While most of the state was cooled by the southwesterly change, conditions in the state's northeast will still be extremely hot on Saturday, with the temperature forecast to reach 40C at Wangaratta and 42C at Wodonga.

A total fire ban has been declared for the Mallee, Wimmera, Northern Country, North East, East Gippsland and West and South Gippsland fire districts on Saturday.

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Fires continue to burn in Vic's Mallee

FIRES that have burnt 40,000 hectares in Victoria's Mallee region are expected to continue through the weekend.

Several bushfires are burning out of control in the Mallee with firefighters bracing for the aftermath of a strong southwesterly wind change Friday evening.

Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said the fires were now 40,000 hectares in size.

He said it would be a very difficult fire for firefighters once the strong south-westerly wind change moved through.

"We could only hope that they get on top of it by the end of the day but our assessment is this fire will continue to be a going fire into tomorrow and the weekend," he said on Friday.

Twelve aircraft and six dozers are supporting about 300 firefighters in the battle to control the blazes occurring mainly in parkland and reserves.

The towns of Tempy and Gypsum on Friday afternoon received their second emergency warning in as many days, with Pier Milan also on alert, before the advice was downgraded.

Hopetoun West, Hopevale and Kenmare were put on an emergency alert for Friday evening with a bushfire headed south from Paradise Flora and Fauna Reserve towards Kenmare.

Residents in all the towns are being told that leaving their homes is the safest option and relief centres have been set up in Beulah and Ouyen.

Mildura incident controller Damian Kerr said crews worked in difficult conditions to contain several major blazes before the strong south-westerly change and another day of severe weather conditions in the state's northwest on Saturday.

Visibility in the area was low, and the Sunraysia Highway was closed between the Calder Highway and the township of Speed.

Firefighters were also focusing on a 20,000-hectare blaze in the Big Desert Wilderness Park near the South Australian border.

That fire was impacting on the Red Bluff Flora and Fauna Reserve.

Firefighters were battling a number of other fires which have merged near the Lake Albacutya Freeway Track in south-eastern Wyperfeld.

Fires are also burning near Rocket Lake in Murray Sunset National Park and next to Underbool Track in Wyperfeld National Park.

Both national parks have been closed along with Hattah Kulkyne National Park.

Authorities are urging people to stay informed and travellers in the area should plan their trip.

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NSW cyclist dies following crash

A FEMALE cyclist has died four days after a crash south of Sydney.

Emergency services were called to McKell Avenue at Waterfall on Saturday morning after reports a cyclist and a car had collided.

Officers found a 35-year-old woman with serious injuries.

Police were told the woman was riding along the road when she collided with a car travelling in the opposite direction.

Police say the woman died in hospital on Tuesday.

Inquiries into the crash are continuing, police say.

A 23-year-old man died late on Monday night when his car ran off the road and hit a tree late at Salamander Bay near Port Stephens.

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China expects 3.6bn Lunar New Year trips

CHINESE officials say they are expecting citizens to make 3.6 billion trips during the Chinese New Year travel period that starts on Thursday.

The holiday is the most important one in China and represents the world's largest seasonal migration of people as families reunite.

The Year of the Horse starts on January 31. The Spring Festival transportation period lasts 40 days from January 16.

Lian Weiliang, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, says they expect 200 million more journeys than in 2013.

Lian also told a news conference on Tuesday snow and bad weather could hamper the mass migration.

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NSW father and daughter search continues

Emergency workers are searching for Greg Hutchings and daughter Eeva Dorendahl(pic)in NSW. Source: AAP

WATER police will join the search for a father and his four-year-old daughter reported missing on NSW's north coast.

Water police are set to search waterways in the small town of Pottsville on Tuesday for Greg Hutchings, 35, and his daughter Eeva Dorendahl.

The pair were last seen on Pottsville Road at 12.30pm (AEDT) on Saturday.

Police say Mr Hutchings had prearranged to meet his former partner and Eeva's mother in Pottsville about noon.

He never arrived.

It is believed he does not have access to a car.

About 20 State Emergency Service volunteers and police scoured bushland and scrub throughout the beachside town on Monday.

Tweed Police Inspector Darren Steel told AAP marine local area command police would search waterways on Tuesday.

Insp Steel did not believe Mr Hutchings had posed any threats of harm to his daughter.

Asked if custody issues could be a factor, Insp Steel said police would be trying to ascertain whether there might be any "underlying" reason involved in the disappearance.

"We are not sure at this stage and are still making inquiries as to how they have gone missing," he said.

It has been reported Eeva had been staying at her father's home in Pottsville but was due to return home to the Sunshine Coast.

"She is a four-year-old child, it's a very hot day ... and she has been away from a home for a number of days," Tweed Heads Police Inspector Greg Jago told Seven Network on Monday.

Mr Hutchings is of Caucasian appearance, about 175 centimetres tall, with short, brown, curly hair and a thin build.

Police say he was last seen wearing a black long-sleeve shirt, grey trousers and carrying a black backpack.

Eeva is of Caucasian appearance, with long blonde hair and blue eyes.

She was last seen wearing an oversized blue-and-white shirt and multicoloured board shorts.

Police are urging anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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WA bushfire destroys 49 homes

Four people are unaccounted for and 46 homes have been destroyed by a bushfire in the Perth hills. Source: AAP

FOUR people feared victims of a bushfire that razed 49 homes in the Perth hills region have been found safe, while firefighters are still battling to control the blaze.

The one death attributed to the fire was that of a 62-year-old man in Hovea who collapsed on the roof of his house on Sunday while preparing for the disaster.

The fire, which tore through 650 hectares in the Shire of Mundaring on Sunday and also destroyed two sheds, was contained on Monday but firefighters were still battling to control it.

A watch and act alert remains for the eastern part of Parkerville, Stoneville and Mount Helena.

One resident tried to get back to their house on Monday afternoon and suffered burns to the hands and feet.

Noelene Michels, from Helena Valley, said she knew her house was close to the fire zone and that her son was still there, but she could not reach him due to roadblocks.

"We think it is ok, but we can't get through to check," she said.

Sally and Gary Elwood, from nearby Narla Way, already knew their home of 30 years was gone.

"I am a bit shocked, but until I physically see, it won't hit me fully, but I have seen it on Facebook so I know it is ours," Ms Elwood said.

"I know it is gone, but my glass is half full - the kids are fine, everyone is fine. We will just rebuild, at 48 - bloody hell."

Mundaring Shire president Helen Dullard said many residents were relieved to escape the flames.

"Visually, it was a very ugly fire. It was scary," she said.

People who lost their homes will be escorted to the ruins on Tuesday.

The fate of livestock and pets is unknown but residents are bracing for the worst, while some firefighters have been treated for heat exhaustion and bee stings.

Emergency Services Minister Joe Francis believes a power pole on private property caused the fire.

He said the blaze could have been much worse and wiped out hundreds more homes.

"We pray this is the last fire we see like this, but there are no guarantees," he said.

"We deal with the lottery dealt out by Mother Nature."

Mr Francis admitted he was frustrated that the fire preparation message was not getting through.

The WA government will donate $1 million to the Lord Mayor's Distress Relief Fund to help victims.

It will also provide $3000 to those whose homes had been destroyed and $1000 for damaged houses.

Western Power says about 700 properties are without power - and will remain so for days - and more than 150 poles will need to be replaced.

"Poles and equipment are being delivered in preparation for the rebuild, which is not expected to be able to start before Wednesday," a spokeswoman said.

Insurers have declared the fire a catastrophic event.

Attorney-General George Brandis said the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment would also be provided to eligible residents.

People can claim a payment of $1000 for each adult and $400 for each child.

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Ex-teen star David Cassidy arrested in LA

Seventies actor David Cassidy was arrested in southern California on suspicion of drunken driving. Source: AAP

SEVENTIES heartthrob David Cassidy has been arrested in southern California on suspicion of drunken driving.

The California Highway Patrol says the 63-year-old Cassidy was pulled over on Friday night near Los Angeles International Airport after an officer spotted him making an illegal right turn against a red light.

He was arrested after the officer smelled alcohol in the rental car.

The Sheriff's Inmate Information Center says Cassidy was released on Saturday morning on $US15,000 ($A16,917) bail and is scheduled to appear in court on February 5.

Cassidy appeared in TV's The Partridge Family from 1970-1974 and was a recording star and teen idol.

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Riots over economy break out in Tunisia

RIOTS over Tunisia's economy have flared in towns around the country, leaving one dead and posing an immediate challenge to the new prime minister and the country's path to democracy.

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Cat rescued after 3 days in US drainpipe

A cat has reportedly been rescued in the US after three winter days in a drainpipe. Source: AAP

A CAT that spent at least three winter days in a United States drainpipe has been rescued after initially refusing attempts to lure it out with tuna, the classic call of "here, kitty, kitty," and even a mobile phone app that meowed.

The Courier newspaper reports a resident in Findlay, northwest Ohio, heard the cat's cries on Wednesday.

Groundskeepers at a school cut through the pipe on Friday to free the orange cat, which was muddy, emaciated and hypothermic.

The male cat has been named Piper.

It has a broken leg and other injuries signalling it's had a rough time lately.

But things are looking up, with a number of people volunteering to adopt it if it goes unclaimed.

One veterinarian assessed the cat this way: "If they truly have nine lives, he probably has three left."

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