NSW bushfires: Total fire ban issued for Sydney

Firefighters are on high alert with hot, dry and windy weather forecast to hit the state tomorrow. It comes as international crews come to the aid of fatigued volunteers battling more than 50 bushfires across NSW.

A total fire ban has been issued for seven areas across NSW for Tuesday, including Greater Sydney, with hot, dry and windy weather forecast to hit the state.

The ban, which also impacts the Illawarra/Shoalhaven, Greater Hunter, Central Ranges, Southern Ranges, Northern Slopes and North Western comes as international crews come to the aid of NSW firefighters to help avoid fatigue.

A group of 25 firefighters from New Zealand have arrived in New South Wales to help fight more than 50 bushfires currently burning at advice level across the state.

A Total Fire Ban has been declared for seven areas tomorrow, due to forecast hot, dry and windy weather. Areas include Greater Sydney, Illawarra/Shoalhaven, Greater Hunter, Central Ranges, Southern Ranges, Northern Slopes and North Western. #NSWRFS pic.twitter.com/BWWlQa8YAX

— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) November 18, 2019

Already this season more than 530 homes have been razed, 1.6 million hectares of land burnt and six people killed.

RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said they need more people on the ground.

“Interstate support is quite routine, but not to the extent we have got, but it is not common to bring people over from New Zealand but obviously as the government has said to us bring what you need to help protect people,” he said

New warning … NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. Picture: John Grainger

As of Tuesday morning, there were almost a thousand RFS firefighters fighting the blazes.

Due to the severity of the bushfires, the RFS is considering more international support.

“We’ve got liaison officers arriving this week from Canada and the US and they’ll be placed in our state operations centre to understand what we’re doing, what the challenges we have, and obviously if we do need to bring them over they’ll have people in place that they can plug right in,” Dept Comm Rogers said.

“We have helped deal with fires in Canada and North America before and this would be part of the reciprocal arrangement.”

The firefront is already around 6,000 kilometres in length with crews attempting to curtail the blazes through water bombing before conditions deteriorate on Tuesday.

The RFS has added to their aircraft stock, bringing a large air tanker from North America at short notice.

“We have four large air tankers currently, all ready and operational, they were in use yesterday, they have been busy and are ready to be deployed when we need them,” Dept Comm Rogers said.

Firefighters are today taking advantage of favourable conditions with hot temperatures and strong winds forecast for Tuesday.

Firefighters backburn along Putty Road in Colo Heights on Saturday. Picture: AAP

Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned that the worst is far from over.

“It is a huge wake-up call for all of us that the summer isn’t going to be pleasant in terms of bushfire risk,” she said.

Crews took advantage of cooler conditions over the weekend to strengthen containment lines and backburn bushland ahead of severe fire ratings tomorrow.

Temperatures are set to hit the high-30s on Tuesday and along with gusts of 20-30km/h across Sydney and the Central Ranges, Hunter and Illawarra, will spark an increased fire danger.

“We are expecting to see a worsening of conditions, particularly as we start heading into Tuesday and then continuing through Wednesday and Thursday again,” Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said.

Firefighters are in for a tough week with unfavourable weather conditions set to push through to Thursday, when a heatwave is set to hit the state.

Residents are being told to review their bushfire emergency plans and undertake work to protect their homes before tomorrow’s severe fire danger.

Warm and windy conditions, combined with persistently dry conditions, have been adding to the fire danger, the Bureau of Meteorology says.

The Rural Fire Service is working with the Bureau to prepare for worsening weather conditions this week.

Originally published as NSW bushfires: Total fire ban issued for Sydney