Updated
Properties were destroyed, a man was flown to Sydney
with severe burns and a firefighter was seriously injured as authorities
battled blazes around New South Wales on Sunday.
Key points:
- Emergency warnings have been issued for a blaze at Kains Flat
- Several properties have been damaged
- Soaring temperatures made for catastrophic fire conditions on Sunday
The NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) downgraded the last blaze at Kains Flat about midnight.
At Leadville, near Dunedoo, a fire breached containment lines and was heading east toward Cassilis. It was downgraded to a "watch and act" at about 10pm AEDT after a southerly change has impacted the fireground, with the fire moving north towards Leadville and Coolah.
Another fire at Beechwood, 50 kilometres west of Port Macquarie was threatening properties, but was also downgraded to "watch and act" late on Sunday.
Other blazes at Boggabri and Dondingalong were downgraded from emergency to "watch and act".
The RFS tweeted at 5:20pm a person had been injured in a fire: "Boggabri: A member of the public is being flown to hospital in Sydney after suffering burns at this fire."
Later in the evening, the NSW RFS confirmed a firefighter had also sustained serious injuries.
The 40,000-hectare fire had been burning since Saturday at Leadville near Dunedoo, east of Dubbo.
By Sunday evening 2,500 RFS firefighters were battling 97 fires across the state, with 37 of those not yet contained.
A 'difficult day' for NSW
NSW RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said it was a "difficult day" and he had reports at least one home had been lost in the Boggabri blaze and possibly several in the fire near Dunedoo."At this stage we have got some unconfirmed reports of some homes being lost, sheds being lost, machinery being lost and other agricultural assets being lost on some of these fire grounds," he said.A man, 40, was charged after allegedly sparking a bushfire at Mangrove Creek, on the Central Coast on Sunday. He was refused bail.
The arrest come just one day after police arrested a 13-year-old boy in Dubbo for allegedly starting a fire.
Mr Fitzsimmons addressed reports of arson throughout the state and said deliberately lighting fires was a "heinous act".
"You put the lives at risk of our firefighters, the vast majority of whom are out there doing it for free, simply to make a difference and protect their local community."
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