By Riley Walter and Nick Newling
Emergency services have gained control over a grass fire that threatened homes near Liverpool in Sydney’s south-west after residents were urged to seek shelter.
Residents in Edmonson Park from Talana Hill Drive to Jardine Drive had been told it was too late to leave the area, before firefighting crews and water bombing aircraft controlled the blaze burning along Camden Valley Way at Horningsea Park.
NSW Rural Fire Service Superintendent Gregory Wright said strong winds had pushed the fire in an easterly direction from the site of a former amusement park.
He said two firefighters suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation, while two civilians reported chest pains or anxiety. No one was taken to hospital.
“Due to the wind, the fire was burning quite fiercely and into the bush that was in the area,” he said.
“Getting around the fire due to the wind is quite difficult.”
The grass fire in Sydney’s south-west has now been brought under control.Credit: Nine News
The RFS has received unconfirmed reports of some damage to properties, not believed to be homes.
Camden Valley Way and Bringelly Road have been closed to westbound traffic from Horningsea Park Drive to Cowpasture Road.
A watch and act warning was earlier issued for an out-of-control grass fire burning at Spring Farm, near Camden, but the blaze has since been controlled.
Meanwhile, several grass fires and bushfires are burning along the NSW South Coast, including one near Bega Valley, where three lives were lost during the Black Summer fires.
The NSW Rural Fire Service on Tuesday advised landowners not to undertake hazard reduction burns during the warm and windy weather after being called to several out-of-control blazes.
Severe wind warnings are in place along the South Coast, with temperatures in parts of NSW forecast to reach the high 20s on Friday.
SES Deputy State Duty Commander, Chief Superintendent Dallas Burnes, advised people to remain indoors and away from trees and powerlines during strong winds.
“We’re expecting strong winds and severe weather to continue to impact parts of the south coast, Illawarra, north-eastern parts of Sydney and the central coast and Hunter.”
NSW SES volunteers responded to more than 500 incidents along the coast, 400 of which were for fallen trees.
“Fortunately, our crews have been quick to respond … clean-up is either under way or already completed in most instances,” said Burnes.
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines said the Illawarra region and parts of southern NSW could experience winds of up to 110km/h on Wednesday.
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