At least a dozen homes are feared lost to a raging bushfire that jumped a bay just north of Sydney, and even more may have been engulfed by a second blaze further up the coast, as Sydney sweltered through a 40-degree scorcher.

Locals have recounted fast-moving flames, fear for their lives and the “heartbreak” of homes up in flames.

Fifty bushfires were burning across the state on Saturday, with one – at Milsons Gully in the Upper Hunter – still at emergency warning levels by the evening, as it burnt through 10,000 hectares of bushland.

Just after 2pm on Saturday, the NSW Rural Fire Service also issued an emergency alert to urge residents of Koolewong, near Woy Woy, to flee as fire took hold in steep bushland.

The fire was downgraded to “watch and act” at 6pm, after an afternoon of significant destruction.

Earlier in the day, the blaze at Koolewong’s Nimbin Road had moved quickly south behind Glenrock Parade towards Lara Street, lighting up homes overlooking Brisbane Water.

Footage obtained by the Herald shows the homes in flaming ruins just minutes later.

Katie Greene moved to the area five years ago and said at least five neighbours had lost their homes, though hers was saved.

“I don’t actually know how many homes have gone – but I can see at least five neighbours have lost their homes,” she said.

“It’s such a lovely local community, it’s just heartbreak.”

Greene fled with her children before the fire reached their street.

The blaze moved so fast, fanned by high winds. All Greene heard was a firetruck and, half an hour later, the flames were swallowing houses.

“The bush has been super dry, and it was so hot and so windy today and the firefighters – amazing, amazing,” she said.

The temperature had climbed, at that same moment, to 40.3 degrees at Mangrove Mountain, the nearest weather station.

It was even hotter in Sydney’s west, with temperatures reaching almost 42 degrees at Badgerys Creek, Penrith Lakes and Richmond in what was tipped to be the city’s hottest day in two years.

The state’s largest firefighting helicopter, the RFS Chinook, was deployed to slow the Koolewong fire’s front.

“Embers will be blown long distances ahead of the main fire front starting spot fires, these may impact your home earlier than the main fire front,” the RFS warned Central Coast residents.

Those fears were soon realised when, just after 4pm, the fire jumped the water and headed south, to Phegans Bay.

Residents there were urged to seek shelter as the RFS issued its most dire warnings – “Your life is at risk. It is too late to leave” – at 4.30pm.

There are many elderly people living around Woy Woy, Greene added, who will be deeply affected by the toll of rebuilding.

“This is the most beautiful community I have ever lived in, it will be devastating for them,” she said.

“We will band together for them.”

Central Coast councillor Jared Wright said 12 homes had reportedly been burnt down, a doubling of estimates of six earlier in the afternoon.

“In times of crisis, the Central Coast community always bands together to support each other and I know that will occur in the hours, days and weeks ahead,” he told the Herald.

Tony Stellino was among those who lost his home.

“I went out there and had a look ... and ... it was on top of us,” he told Nine News.

“We made it, we’re still here. We start again. Everything’s gone now, memories, everything, all our clothes, all our possessions.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who bought a property in Copacabana – a nearby suburb on the Central Coast – in 2024, said he was thinking of all those across NSW affected by the fires.

“Please look out for each other and follow advice from authorities,” he said in a statement.

“Thank you to all our emergency services and volunteers on the ground and in the air.”

On Saturday evening, an RFS spokesman said the service was yet to verify how many homes had been lost. Central Coast residents were bracing for the number of properties lost to climb, and an evacuation centre was established at Gosford RSL.

A second bushfire, on the Mid North Coast, is also believed to have destroyed at least one home near the town of Bulahdelah.

That fire has burnt through more than 2800 hectares and is not yet under control.

After the emergency alert for Koolewong, a second emergency warning was issued for a 10,000 hectare fire in the Upper Hunter, near Milsons Gully.

The fire was bearing south, towards Bylong Valley Way, and affecting homes and properties in the areas of Baerami, Baerami Creek, Widden, Yarrawa and Kerrabee, the RFS said in its warning.

“The fire will continue pushing in a south-south-west direction, but an approaching storm will bring erratic winds and could see the fire burn in multiple directions,” the organisation said, before it was downgraded to watch and act level about 8pm.

In Sydney, the temperature at Observatory Hill passed 33 degrees at 12.30pm, and approached 42 degrees in several suburbs across the city’s west by the afternoon. The heat was forecast to rise to 39 degrees in the Sydney CBD, which would have been the city’s hottest day since January 2024.

Smoke from the fires drifted across Sydney and the Central Coast, blanketing the city in a light haze.

Sydneysiders flocked to the water again on Saturday, including Penrith Beach, which opened a day ahead of schedule.

The swimming spot, which is nicknamed Pondi, has had its hours extended, with new onsite amenities including more shade and outdoor showers, in preparation for its third summer operating.

A sharp cool change is expected to push the mercury down to 26 degrees on Sunday.

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