NSW south coast homes under threat from two out-of-control bushfires
A number of homes on the New South Wales south coast remain under threat from two out-of-control bushfires being whipped up by increasingly strong winds.
An emergency warning has been issued for people near Yankees Gap Road at Bemboka and for the Mount Kingiman fire south of Ulladulla.
The Bemboka blaze is burning easterly, with residents north of the Snowy Mountains highway and west of the Princes highway being told it is too late to leave and they must take shelter.
Residents in Woodstock, Kings Point and Burrill Lake are also being told to find shelter, with embers from spot fires up to six kilometres ahead of the main fire front.
“Our concern is now given these wind strengths that we could actually start to see embers move on to the eastern side of Burrill Lake,” NSW Rural Fire Service inspector Ben Shepherd said. “If the embers do take hold, they’re going to escalate very quickly under these extraordinary strong winds.”
An evacuation centre has been established at the Ulladulla Civic Centre. A second centre is at Milton Showgrounds for people with larger livestock.
A watch and act alert is active at north Nowra, with the RFS warning the blaze there is still out of control and crews will be working into the evening.
A watch and act alert is also in place for four other fires, including one at the Bells Line of Road near the Blue Mountains and separately at Ellangowan.
Firefighters have gained the upper hand on other fires including at Jerrara, west of Kiama, Pinkett and Yatte Yattah.
A shed burnt by the Mount Kingiman fire is the only structure confirmed damaged.
Southerly winds are expected to help fire crews later this evening but conditions could become tougher again on Thursday morning.
A total fire ban has been declared for the Sydney, Illawarra and Hunter regions until Wednesday at midnight. It is the earliest a total fire ban has been declared in NSW in nearly a decade.
The Fire and Rescue deputy commissioner, Rob Rogers, said firefighters were concerned about the coming summer season.
“Considering the entire state is drought declared, unless we get substantial rainfall we are really concerned for the summer – let’s hope we’re going to get some good rain,” he told the ABC.
The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, told parliament the fires were a reminder of the terribly dry conditions across NSW.
“Our thoughts are with all the emergency service fighters and volunteers who at this moment in time are trying to contain those fires,” she said.
For emergency warnings and updates visit rfs.nsw.gov.au