A man has been chastised by New South Wales firefighters for stopping in the middle of raging bushfire to record a selfie video.
Kevin Kwok found himself in the thick of one of the 52 blazes raging across the state on Sunday while driving through Kundabung, north of Port Macquarie.
Instead of evacuating the area as safely and quickly as possible, Mr Kwok decided to pull over in the middle of the blaze and record a video to Instagram, highlighting his dangerously close proximity to the flames.
“There is a fire…and I hope I survive,” Mr Kwok said to the camera.
“This is not good right now. This is a bit of a situation. Oh my god I can’t breathe, f— bye.”
The video which was posted yesterday on Mr Kwok’s Instagram account has been harshly criticised by the NSW Rural Fire Service, urging others not to follow in Mr Kwok’s footsteps.
“Use some common sense. If you come across a bush fire, you should be thinking about your safety, not selfies,” said NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons.
More than 1200 firefighters were called to help battle fires in the NSW Hunter region yesterday as 52 fires burn across the state.
Hot, dry weather expected today and tomorrow could force firefighters to work through to Wednesday.
A major bushfire near Port Stephens continues to burn out of control, along with another dozen across the state, as authorities warn the high fire danger will persist with today’s weather expected to reach the low to mid 30s.
Crews in the Port Stephens area face 80km of fire edge over the next two days. The blaze has already burned through an estimated 6500 hectares.
Two 16-year-olds are believed to have sparked a bushfire in the Shoal Bay area near Port Stephens on Saturday by lighting a campfire despite a total fire ban.
The fire burnt out an acre of bushland and the boys were detained by locals before they were arrested.
what a f wit what does he think this is a frigan, photshoot and a joke .bloody looser ,people out there trying to stop this fie ,save peoples home and you a idiot that has not a brain .