Updated
Firefighters continue to battle fierce conditions in
northern NSW as 64 blazes persist across the state — including almost
half of which remain uncontained.
Latest RFS updates:
- Shark Creek: An out of control, fast-moving fire is burning in the Yuraygir National Park and Shark Creek area, south of Yamba. People in Angourie, Yamba, Gulmarrad and Wooloweyah need to monitor conditions. The immediate threat to Gulmarrad and Yamba areas has eased but be alert for burning embers.
- Bees Nest: The fire is burning north of Ebor and to the north-west of Dorrigo. It has impacted Armidale Road and Tyringham Road. If you are in the area of Tyringham, Marengo, Moonpar, Billys Creek, Dundarrabin or Bostobrick, you should put your bush fire survival plan into action.
- Drake: The
fire is burning in bushland south of the Bruxner Highway and south of
Drake and Tabulum, to the west of the Clarence River, in the Girard
State Forest. If you are in the area of Drake, Ewingar, Tilbaroo and
areas on the western side of the Clarence River you should put your
bushfire survival plan into action.
The NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) had earlier declared an emergency warning for a fire which started at Shark Creek in the Clarence Valley, but this has now been downgraded to watch and act.
The RFS said residents in Wooloweyah, Angourie and Yamba should monitor conditions for smoke and embers and firefighters are working to protect homes.
It has been another demanding day for fire crews after a difficult weekend, with strong south-westerly winds set to fan multiple blazes active across the state.
More than 630 firefighters were deployed to tackle the fires on Monday.
There are also two watch and act alerts in place for a blaze at Drake near Tenterfield and the Bees Nest fire north of Ebor, near Armidale.
Late Monday afternoon there were emerging reports of light snow and sleet falling near Armidale, the RFS said.
RFS deputy commissioner Rob Rogers said the fires at Drake and Bees Nest were "just absolutely enormous".
The Armidale fire covers more than 63,000 hectares and has a perimeter of more than 100 kilometres.
"There's no quick resolution to this," Mr Rogers said.
"Obviously barring significant rainfall, which we'd absolutely welcome, there's a lot of work on ahead."
'It's not worth risking my life'
Argnesh Rose was among a large group sheltering from the Bees Nest fire at the Dorrigo Evacuation Centre.Ms Rose said her husband remained at home to protect their property, which is just outside Dorrigo, east of the fire.
She said she was conflicted about leaving their home of 36 years to seek protection.
"It's really difficult when the bush that you love is turning into a trap."I considered staying and I actually started to write a letter to my son and then I went, no, it's not worth it.
"It's just a house. I can't justify myself potentially risking my life."
She said her husband "put his heart and soul into building the house" and he was among a group of 10 property owners who had chosen to stay and fight the approaching blaze.
RFS group captain Pat Bradley said 80 per cent of the fire was still uncontained and it was driven by very low humidity and dry fuel.
"We've had crews doing property protection until four in the morning and that's not normal — normally the fire has settled down by then," he said.
"We're looking for a break in the weather so that we can start to put more strategic fire lines in so we can box this fire in and reduce its overall area."
'You must take care of life'
The fire at Bees Nest caused Mike and Marg Toozoff to evacuate the guesthouse they manage at Mount Christopherson.They are now staying with friends in nearby Dorrigo.
"There is a big fire at the end of our road, Muldiva Road, which is threatening properties there. We just had a look and got out quickly," Mr Toozoff told 7.30.
"There's a lot of people really concerned along that road because there's a lot of farms there," Ms Toozoff said.
"The smoke was covering us. Really scary," she said.
Mr Toozoff said the fact the fire had started so early in the year had "caught a lot of people by surprise".
They do not know when they will be able to return home.
"The important thing to remember is you can't replace a life. The rest of it is just stuff," Ms Toozoff said."Houses can be rebuilt, sheds, trees, garden. You must take care of life."
Elsewhere, an air tanker has dropped retardant south of the at-risk villages of Angourie and Wooloweyah in a bid to slow down its onslaught.
Roseanna Brisbane, 31 lives with her mother in Wooloweyah, which has about 300 homes.
Ms Brisbane said the information the town was given was too little and too late to leave.
She said she was now trapped by the fire, with only one road in and out of the township.
"I am sitting at the only road in and out of Wooloweyah and it is closed due to the fire on one side and the backburning operation on the other," she said.
"A lot of community members have been trapped in Wooloweyah because we were not told of the backburning.
"There is a lot of people who would have left but now they have no opportunity due to the lack of information."
A 66-year-old volunteer firefighter who was severely burnt while working on the Tenterfield fireground remains in a critical but stable condition.
He suffered burns to his hands, arm, legs, back, face and airways on Friday afternoon.
Tenterfield Shire councillor Bronwyn Petrie was tackling a blaze when she saw the injured firefighter on a nearby property.
"My first thought was that he was wearing shorts … but I knew I had just seen him in trousers," she said.
"But his trousers had burnt up to his knees and he had no jacket on anymoreThe head of the RFS for the Northern Tablelands, Chris Wallbridge, said the fires that ripped through Tenterfield were the most challenging he had experienced in 20 years of service.
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