NSW: Quotes from the NSW bushfires emergency this weekend

AAP General News (Australia)
12-30-2001
NSW: Quotes from the NSW bushfires emergency this weekend

SYDNEY, Dec 30 AAP - Quotes from the NSW bushfire emergency:



"It is a sad reflection of the wickedness of some human beings." - NSW Premier Bob
Carr on arsonists.



"These acts of arson are acts of sheer bastardry." NSW Senior Deputy Police Commissioner
Ken Moroney.



"Tomorrow's going to be one of the most potentially dangerous days we've ever faced
as a community, this community of NSW." - NSW Premier Bob Carr on predictions of horror
weather conditions for bushfires over the weekend.



"We're going to have to be on the highest conceivable state of alert, but we are actually
well planned and it's important therefore for everybody to remain calm." - NSW Emergency
Services Minister Bob Debus on forecast weather conditions that turned out better than
expected.



"We're not optimistic about the weather in the next 72 hours, but there's nothing,
there's no doom and gloom weather on the horizon." - NSW Rural Fire Services commissioner
Phil Koperberg.



"One of the fires leapt part of the Warragamba Dam that was as wide as six freeways;
now that is a pretty substantial barrier." - NSW Premier Bob Carr after being briefed
on the bushfires when he returned from a shortened holiday to China.



"This bushfire should not have any impact on premiums." - Insurance Disaster Response
Organisation coordinator Chris Henri on an estimated $50 million damage bill from the
fires.



"Losses, whilst tragic, have been a fraction of what might have been the case otherwise."

- NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner Phil Koperberg on 11,000 properties that were saved
after being directly threatened by fire.



"There are occasions where they are just sucked dry by the volumes of water that's
being taken out." Sydney Water spokesman Colin Judge on the demand on street water mains



"It is not a day to be watering your lawns when water might be required to put out
fires." - NSW Premier Bob Carr urging residents to conserve water so it can be used to
fight fires.



"It's all that NSW smoke. It's none of ours." - ACT Bushfire Services operations manager
Tony Graham on a haze of smoke over the ACT sky.



AAP rk/sal/jmd

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES NSW QUOTES

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