The Eurobodalla Emergency Operations Centre Communications Manager advises: No visitors to the shire please.
"There is still active fire in most of Eurobodalla and south to the Victorian border. At this time it is in the best interests of visitors and our community to delay travel plans to Eurobodalla.
"Many local residents have lost their homes or can't return to them and these people require accommodation, resources and support. Until this Friday’s high fire danger has passed and NSW RFS reassess the forecast, visitors should stay away."
The Eurobodalla area remains under evacuation status with three centres currently open. Electricity has only just been restored to many areas in the shire however there are still pockets remaining that have not had power for more than eight days.
With power returning the access to the internet has returned however the phone systems remain unreliable due to considerable infrastructure damage in the region.
Local food supplies have been decimated and, as stocks begin to be replenished at supermarkets, butcheries and grocers, the community has benefited, and continues to benefit from the generous distribution of donated goods that have been trucked into the area and made available at local halls and pop-up distribution outlets 'personed' by community volunteers. .
While the evacuation centres are religiously ensuring that only those who have actually evacuated their homes are fed and provided for, the wider community are now turning to the pop-up donated distribution outlets that recognise that the shire now has a population of home-grown evacuees who may well have their home but have empty cupboards and empty fridges that have now been cleared of considerable wasted food from loss of electricity.
To add to the calamity half of the shire from Moruya to the south now needs to boil water.
While the region is in a desperate financial position with the disintergration of its normally vibrant peak holiday season many in the community feel that it would be irresponsible to invite visitors back to the area while the community are already heavily burdened and the threat of further fires and road closures remains.
The latest official update from the Council advises that "Eurobodalla’s Emergency Operations Centre will be holding three community meetings tomorrow (Wednesday 8 Jan) to discuss the bushfire situation and how you can get prepared.
The reference to 'get prepared' indicates that the emergency situation is not over and the Fires Near Me web site clearly indicates the shire currently has several fires still out of control.
