Massive NSW south coast fire around Bermagui downgraded
A large fire on the NSW south coast that burned out more than 5000 hectares around Bermagui has been downgraded. Here’s the latest.
NSW
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A massive fire on the NSW south coast has been downgraded to a watch and act thanks to some timely rainfall and a cool change helping firefighters gain the upper hand against the blaze.
The southerly change swept through just after midnight, bringing cooler temperatures and patchy rainfall enabling crews to slow the spread of the fire burning near Bermagui and protect properties throughout the night.
“The southerly moved through from about midnight and it increased humidity and scattered rainfall,” the RFS spokeswoman said.
“It aided crews working through the night and helped them protect properties and slow the spread.”
The blaze was downgraded to a watch and act at around 1.30am but not before it quickly burned through more than 5000 hectares.
There are reports of some property loss although the RFS will send crews out this morning to assess the full extent of the damage.
Meanwhile, there are still 74 bush and grass fires burning across NSW with 16 of them yet to be contained.
WATCH & ACT
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) October 3, 2023
Coolagolite Rd Fire (Bega Valley LGA)
Monitor conditions. A southerly change has brought a cool change and some rainfall which has seen conditions ease across the fireground. Firefighters continue to work to slow the spread of the fire. #NSWRFS pic.twitter.com/hiVwlXfuZc
Today’s focus for RFS will shift to the northern parts of the state with precipitation expected to hit southern and western NSW.
“The concern today is the north eastern quadrant of NSW, from the Central coast to the Queensland border,” the RFS spokeswoman said.
“Today and tomorrow we’re expecting to see rainfall in southern and western NSW.”
Total fire bans are in place for the north western, northern slopes and greater Hunter region.
As of midnight, there are 73 fires burning across the state, with 18 not yet contained.
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) October 3, 2023
The Coolagolite Rd Fire (Bega Valley LGA) remains at Emergency Warning. For more information, visit the #NSWRFS website or check the Hazards Near Me app. pic.twitter.com/C4HptlLlQg
Meanwhile, Fire and Rescue crews in Sydney were kept busy on Wednesday after firefighters extinguished a blaze that took hold of a two-storey building in Bidwill.
More than 15 firefighters and four fire trucks fought the inferno on Tongariro Terrace on Wednesday.
One occupant of the home suffered minor burns.
Shortly after a fire tore through a hostel in Kings Cross.
More than 70 backpackers evacuated the Mad Monkey Downtown establishment after a fire broke out in one of its rooms.
Firefighters managed to put out the blaze within 20 minutes and there were no recorded injuries.
On Tuesday, the Rural Fire Service warned residents in five south coast areas including the town of Bermagui and the areas of Murrah, Bunga, Cuttagee and Barragga Bay to shelter in place because the fire was burning toward them on Tuesday afternoon.
“Seek shelter as the fire approaches. It is too late to leave,” the RFS said.
Two local evacuation centres have been set up at Bega Showground and Narooma Leisure Centre.
Firefighters said while conditions were expected to ease on Tuesday evening, a southerly change overnight could cause issues.
Emergency Warning: Coolagolite Rd Fire, Coolagolite
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) October 3, 2023
Bermagui Monitor Conditions
A southerly change is expected around midnight which should ease conditions but has the potential to push the fire back towards Bermagui. Evac centres have been set up. https://t.co/uT0Vg60mIvpic.twitter.com/2fX2ZCY3Ml
“A southerly change is expected around midnight which should ease conditions but has the potential to push the fire back towards Bermagui,” the RFS said.
“People who do not feel adequately prepared to defend their properties should consider relocating to a safer place such as Bega or Narooma by nightfall,” the RFS said in a statement.
EMERGENCY WARNING: Coolagolite Rd Fire, Coolagolite (Bega Valley)
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) October 3, 2023
The fire continues to burn in an easterly direction towards Cuttagee, Barragga Bay & Bermagui. Residents in those areas should seek shelter as the fire approaches. It is too late to leave. https://t.co/YTZhkP2g27pic.twitter.com/7ED2e7Y22C
Hundreds of kilometres away, residents in the Hunter region also faced an emergency warning blaze with a fire starting at Allandale Street, Kearsley, near Cessnock.
Authorities set up an evacuation centre at East Cessnock Bowling Club as the fire threatened the areas of Abernethy and Elrington but the fire was later downgraded to watch and act and was at advice level by 6pm.
At 6pm there were still 86 fires burning, with 29 not yet contained according to the RFS.
There were over 1300 firefighters and incident management specialists working to contain the fires.
The Greater Hunter, Northern Slopes and North Western regions will have total fire bans on Wednesday with extreme and high fire ratings for the north eastern quarter of NSW.
It comes as large parts of NSW are under extreme fire risk today with hot, dry and windy conditions across the state.
Hot air moving across the country is predicted to push the mercury over 36C in the greater Sydney region, marking our hottest start to October on record.
Total fire bans have been issued in the greater Hunter, Far South Coast, North West, Upper Central West Plains, Northern Slopes and Greater Sydney.
Firefighters are battling more than 90 bushfires across NSW but have concerns for southern parts of the state, particularly the Snowy Monaro region.
“We have a total fire ban across the state with quite a few fires burning in southeastern NSW,” the RFS spokeswoman said.
“We’ve already seen winds of 30 to 40km/h blowing in the Snowy Monaro region so we’ll be on high alert there.”
Firefighters in northern NSW have had their hands full battling a blaze that has ripped through Bundjalung National Park.
They’ve had to contend with “unexploded ordnance” in the area regularly used for military aircraft training.
The blaze stretching more than 550ha started south of Evans Head and is expected to take a muti-agency team the rest of the week to extinguish.
A fire that started in Hornsby Heights on Tuesday morning was quickly brought under control by the RFS.
Thousands are expected to flock to Sydney’s beaches to provide relief to the soaring temperatures.
The severe weather warning comes a day after some residents in Mudgee were warned to seek shelter and not attempt to run from an out-of-control blaze threatening homes.
The grass fire was later downgraded to a watch and act after it burned more than 330 hectares.
A blaze burning near Berowra Creek was also contained by firefighters late on Monday afternoon.
Fire risk looms across NSW
On Mondayevening, residents near Mudgee were warned to seek shelter and not attempt to run from an out-of-control blaze threatening homes, while another fire was burning near a luxury guesthouse north of Sydney owned by media power couple Matt Doran and wife Kendall Bora.
The Rural Fire Service issued a warning shortly after 3pm Monday to residents at Home Rule, north of Mudgee in the state’s central-west, stating that a grass fire is threatening homes and properties in the area.
“An emergency warning is in place for the Home Rule area due to a fast running grass fire that is burning in the vicinity of Henry Lawson Drive and Drews Lane in a southerly direction towards Lowes Peak,” an update from the RFS NSW states.
“If you are in the area of St Fillans, you are in danger. It is now too late to leave. Seek shelter now inside a solid structure such as a house.”
Shortly before 4pm residents near Eurunderee and Budgee Budgee were warned to evacuate towards Mudgee if they were not prepared for the fire.
RFS crews and water bombing operations were in operation over Monday afternoon working to contain the fire.
It’s understood there are dozens of properties in the area under threat, with the RFS working to protect homes.
It came as Rural Fire Service crews also battle an out-of-control bushfire at Sunny Corner, Berowra Creek, near where Channel 7 host Matt Doran and his wife, Today executive producer Kendall Bora, own luxury waterfront property Sunny Corner Cottage.
It’s understood the fire is travelling away from properties in the area, but the remoteness of the blaze has made it difficult for firefighters to handle.
The couple wed there last year after buying the ritzy, 1905-built retreat which can only be accessed by boat for $1.75 million.
The RFS are using specialised firefighting boats and helicopters due to the difficulty of reaching the area.
Despite fire conditions across the state being downgraded after Monday’s scorcher, authorities still spent Monday battling more than 80 blazes across NSW.
Tuesday is expected to see tops of 36 degrees hit around NSW with a fire ban in place for the Greater Sydney Region, Greater Hunter, Far South Coast, Northern Slopes, North Western, Upper Central West Plains, Lower Central West Plains and Central Ranges.
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