Bushfires rages towards historic Camberwell village
BREAKING: There are eerie scenes in a NSW town as firefighters battle a raging bushfire that has reached a local cemetery.
technology/environment
Don't miss out on the headlines from technology/environment. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THERE are eerie scenes in a NSW town this afternoon as firefighters battle a raging bushfire that has burned through 33 hectares of land and reached a local cemetery.
Kurri Kurri, in the NSW Hunter Region, is under threat with emergency services protecting property along Lang and Aberdare St, including around the hospital, with the help of “aerial support”. There are reportedly more than 100 firefighters on the scene.
Emergency services have upgraded the warning to ‘watch and act’ after the fire reportedly came within metres of homes a short time ago. It has also reached a local cemetery.
“Firefighters from the Rural Fire Service, Fire & Rescue NSW, and multiple water bombing aircraft are working to contain the fire,” a statement from NSW Police read.
“The Rural Fire Service have established containment lines in the area and no evacuations are in place at this time.”
According to the RFS, conditions are easing and crews will remain on scene to black out and mop up”. News.com.au understand the fire was deliberately lit. A 26-year-old man has been charged in connection with the blaze.
“(He) is assisting police at Maitland Police Station, in relation to inquiries into the bushfire,” a police statement read earlier today.
The blaze comes just one week after more than 1200 firefighters along with 350 fire trucks spent Wednesday battling several out of control fires in Kurri Kurri.
A woman and her young daughter had to be flown from a burning Kurri Kurri property to Cessnock airport in distress after an RFS helicopter was waved down. The fires are being treated as suspicious.
Advice: Lang St, Kurri Kurri â Conditions are easing and crews will remain on scene to black out and mop up. Monitor conditions. #NSWRFS
â NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) January 24, 2017
Nearby, a small village that fought off a mine company from building in its backyard has also been battling a severe threat as a bushfire rages towards it.
The bushfire was earlier out of control and threatening homes and properties in Camberwell Village, near Singleton in the NSW Hunter Region. Firefighters now have the “upper hand” on the blaze as they work to contain it, according to the Rural Fire Service (RFS). The most recent census data on the village showed it had a population of 181 in 2011.
A RFS emergency warning was issued after 11am on Tuesday in Camberwell, 7km northwest of Singleton. It has since been downgraded to a “watch and act” with “no properties currently threat”.
“The fire is burning in the vicinity of McInerney Road, Alpha Street, Lethbridge Street, New England Highway, Powditch Street, Glennie Street, Dyrring Street, Dawson Street and Dulwich Place,” a statement from the RFS read.
“The fire has crossed the New England Highway in the vicinity of the Camberwell Village.”
Watch and Act: Mcinerney Rd, Camberwell. #NSWRFS crews are gaining the upper hand to contain the fire. No properties currently at threat.
â NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) January 24, 2017
Two large air tankers have been dispatched to waterbomb the 30ha blaze, which has crossed the New England Highway and is heading towards Camberwell Village, according to RFS.
“Crews are on site blacking out, mopping up and will continue to patrol the fireground.
Large air tanker assisting at #Camberwell fire emergency in NSW #UpperHunter Valley near #Singleton #NSWRFS @1233newcastle pic.twitter.com/F6xW0Gu7hE
â Cecilia Connell (@connell_cecilia) January 24, 2017
EMERGENCY WARNING issued for Camberwell fire. Isolated properties may come under threat #NSWRFS @1233newcastle pic.twitter.com/wkw17hBRyt
â Cecilia Connell (@connell_cecilia) January 24, 2017
Residents should monitor conditions and take advice from firefighters in the area,” a statement from the RFS read.
“Residents should monitor conditions and take advice from firefighters in the area.
“Follow your Bush Fire Survival Plan. If you do not have a Bush Fire Survival Plan, ensure you know what you will do if the fire threatens your property.”
EMERGENCY WARNING - Mcinerney Rd, Camberwell - The Very Large Air Tanker and Large Air Tanker are being sent to assist firefighters. #NSWRFS
â NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) January 24, 2017
The New England Highway has reopened between Glennies Creek and McInerney Road.
In 2015, Camberwell won a David-and-Goliath battle to stifle a mining company from establishing a new open-cut coalmine in the village.
The miner, Ashton, failed in its bid to overturn a court-imposed condition on the project’s approval.
The Court of Appeal dismissed Ashton’s appeal and ordered the company to pay the legal costs incurred by the Hunter Environment Lobby.
Originally published as Bushfires rages towards historic Camberwell village