Dry and hot conditions fuel dozens of bushfires across NSW
Firefighters are battling more than 40 bushfires that have destroyed homes and cars across northern NSW with hot, dry weather and strong winds fuelling the flames.
Homes and cars have been destroyed as two out-of-control fires continue to ravage the state’s north.
Despite easing conditions overnight, dry weather and strong winds have fuelled 42 bushfires which continue to burn throughout NSW on Wednesday.
Seven blazes are currently out of control, with two fires near the northern NSW township of Tabulam and on the Tingha Plateau near Inverell posing the most danger.
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Both fires were upgraded to emergency warning as high winds and scorching temperatures wreaked havoc around midday on Wednesday.
It has been confirmed that the Tabulam fire prompted the evacuation of the Jubullum Aboriginal area and destroyed at least three houses on Tuesday, with hundreds more under threat.
Several non-dwelling houses and vehicles were also destroyed by the fire, NSW Police said in a statement.
NSW Rural Fire Service spokesman Greg Allen said that deteriorating weather conditions will make fighting the fires more difficult throughout the day.
“We’re seeing those dry, hot, and windy conditions,” he said.
“It’s going to deteriorate throughout the day.”
RFS firefighters were able to make the most of easing conditions on Tuesday night to backburn on the southern edge of the Tabulam fire, which has currently scorched close to 4000 hectares of land.
Emergency alert text and phone messages were sent to people in the area at around 12pm on Wednesday as the blaze edged closer to properties.
Meanwhile, firefighters are battling to protect homes on the Tingha Plateau as an out of control fire continues to bear down on the towns of Tingha and Old Mill, north of Tamworth.
The fire has incinerated 5,618 hectares of land in the Inverell area, and at least four schools in the area have been closed due to the danger posed by the fires.
An evacuation centre is currently operating out of Inverell High School, and crews have told local residents to seek shelter from the rapidly approaching fire.
Mr Allen said at 2pm that the fires near Tingha and Tabulam were becoming more “volatile” as the afternoon wore on.
“It’s going to continue to be quite windy (in the fire areas),” he said.
“It’s getting quite volatile there at the moment.”
The out-of-control fire in the Tingha and Old Mill area is currently spreading rapidly in all areas due to the strong gusts of wind blowing through the region.
The RFS have advised that the fire poses an immediate threat to lives and properties, and residents of Tingha have been urged to seek shelter.
Extra police are also understood to be in the area, door-knocking residents and advising them not to evacuate at the last minute.
An evacuation centre has been established at the Bundarra School of Arts Hall on Bendemeer Street.
Meanwhile, residents in the area of Old Bruxner Road and Paddys Flat Road have also been advised to enact their Bush Fire Survival Plan, as the Tabulam blaze bears down on homes in the region.
It is understood that at least five properties have been razed by the Tablulam fire, however RFS crews are yet to inspect the area to confirm whether the buildings were occupied.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Rebecca Farr said that the weather conditions in the Tabulam area are not expected to ease until later in the day.
“We have the front which went through yesterday move north … bringing generally hot conditions and strong winds,” she said.
“We’re expecting a change to come through late in the day.”
Ms Farr said that dust haze would also be a feature throughout the day. This is due to strong north-westerly winds picking up dust and blowing it towards the coast.
Ms Farr said that temperatures in the area are predicted to climb to over 40C in the area today.
A total fire ban will stay in place for the state’s North West, Far North Coast, Northern Slopes and New England regions throughout Wednesday.
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