NSW bushfires contained after week of rain

All bush and grass fires burning across NSW are now contained for the first time this bushfire season, with locals welcoming back tourists to the region.

AAP

less than 2 min read

February 14, 2020 - 9:59AM

All bush and grass fires burning across NSW are contained for the first time this bushfire season, authorities say.

The NSW Rural Fire Service on Thursday afternoon announced the news while describing the season as traumatic and exhausting.

There are 24 fires burning in NSW on Thursday evening. All are south of Sydney. Heavy rainfall last weekend saw parts of the state record more than 300mm within 48 hours along the coast.

Teegan Diamond, 36, and fiance John Huckins, 30, showing their support for small businesses in Blackheath. Picture: David Swift.

The east coast low downpours, which caused widespread flash flooding and storm damage, put out 30 fires on the weekend, the RFS revealed earlier this week. The Lindfield Road fire - which had been burning through the Port Macquarie region for 210 days - was extinguished on Wednesday after burning through 858 hectares of which 400 were peat soils underground.

The Currowan fire burning in the Shoalhaven region was extinguished on Saturday night after burning for 74 days and destroying 312 homes.

Fires in the Snowy Valley and Monaro areas were the last to remain uncontained before Thursday afternoon.

“All fires are contained so we can really focus on helping people rebuild,” RFS deputy commissioner Rob Rogers said on Thursday.

There were more than 11,000 bush and grass fires across NSW this fire season with more than 5.4 million hectares burnt.

Some 2400 homes have been destroyed and 25 lives lost.