Properties damaged, destroyed in catastrophic bushfires

As a southerly buster swept across the state on Saturday evening - fueling bushfires and causing erratic conditions - the Rural Fire Service confirmed properties have already been damaged or destroyed today as four bushfires remain at emergency warning levels. But fierce fire conditions are expected to ease tomorrow. LATEST INFORMATION HERE

More homes have been destroyed by bushfires which raged during a heatwave NSW day before threatening to jump containment lines as a southerly change swept up the state’s coast.

Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons described Saturday as “awful” for firefighters, with reports of properties damaged or destroyed in Lithgow, on the rim of the massive Gospers Mountain blaze, west of Sydney.

There was also additional property damage at Balmoral, to Sydney’s southwest, where up to 40 properties were lost on Thursday.

By 7.30pm, four major fires in NSW were classed as emergency warning level with authorities warning residents it was too late to leave some parts. 

There were fears the southerly winds moving upstate during the evening would fan fires in new directions.

A massive fire approaches a property in Bilpin. Picture: Jeremy Piper

While there are more than 100 fires burning across the state, the emergency warnings were in place for fires at Currowan (Shoalhaven LGA), Green Wattle Creek (Wollondilly LGA), Gospers Mountain (Lithgow, Hawkesbury LGAs) and Upper Turon Rd, Palmers Oaky (Lithgow LGA). Others have been downgraded to Watch and Act.

Musician Pat McFarlane successfully defended his friends’ house today but went back to his own Lithgow home to find it was destroyed.

The 62-year-old told The Sunday Telegraph his Christmas was ruined after a blaze took his rental home.

“Everything I own is in that pile of ashes,” the Crane Rd resident said.

“At least my dog Jack and I are okay.

“It was like a river of fire creating its own current.”

FULL BUSHFIRE COVERAGE HERE

On Saturday afternoon, there were 112 fires burning across the state with high temperatures and winds and low humidity forecast.

A catastrophic fire danger rating was declared for Saturday in greater Sydney, Illawarra-Shoalhaven and the southern ranges where several significant fires are burning and the RFS says conditions are “as bad as it gets”.

“These are the very worst of conditions given that we’ve got a landscape with so much fire burning in it, we’ve got a recipe for very serious concern and a very dangerous day,” RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said.

FULL BUSHFIRE COVERAGE HERE

HOUSES BURN IN BALMORAL

Originally published as Properties damaged, destroyed in catastrophic bushfires