Little relief from mountain fires in NSW is expected before Tuesday ANOTHER tough day is ahead for hundreds of firefighters in NSW, especially those who are struggling against a big bushfire in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney where almost 200 properties have already been destroyed.Temperatures are expected to climb again, humidity is predicted to drop and there is a warm, dry wind change forecast. Crews have been battling large fires in the Blue Mountains since Thursday, trying to save homes in area where those properties have been destroyed, and another 109 damaged. A hospital at Springwood in the mountains was also evacuated yesterday ahead of the expected worsening in conditions, with the temperatures in the low to mid 30s expected for parts of NSW today. It was predicted to reach 34 degrees in the Hunter region northwest of Sydney, a Bureau of Meteorology spokesman told AAP. Fortunately, it will be about five degrees cooler in the Blue Mountains where two emergency warnings were issued yesterday after large fires flared up. Last night the states Rural Fire Service had four watch and act alerts in place for fires at Springwood, Lithgow and Mt Victoria, as well as Balmoral in the southern highlands southwest of Sydney. Winds should blow in from the coast at about 35 km/h from 11am AEDT but a warm, dry northwesterly is predicted to come through. ``The good news is those northwesterlies are not expected to be strong, the BoM spokesman said. Humidity will drop from 20 per cent yesterday down to about 15 per cent today. ``Its not much difference, but it will make a big difference in regards to firefighting, the BoM spokesman said.``Every 5 per cent [drop] makes it harder for them. Better firefighting weather is predicted later in the week as light showers could develop along the NSW coast on Tuesday and Wednesday. NSW authorities have assessed 95 per cent of the affected area at Springwood and Winmalee, confirming 192 properties have been destroyed and another 109 damaged. The Rural Fire Service warns the number of damaged or destroyed properties may rise. Firefighters had hoped calmer and cooler temperatures yesterday would help control fires across the state, but blazes in and around the Blue Mountains have flared up. The two emergency warnings, the highest level of alert, from the RFS were for a fire at Lithgow covering more than 32,600 hectares and the other for about 2150 hectares at Springwood. Roads have been closed in both areas. A watch and act alert remains in place for a fire burning across more than 1000 hectares at Mt Victoria and a blaze at Balmoral in the southern highlands spanning more than 9300ha. A fire thats burned through almost 2730ha of scrub at Ruttleys Road, near Wyong on the NSW central coast, was yesterday downgraded to an advice warning. Fire caused about $4 million damage to the Blue Mountains historic Zig Zag Railway, which had been close to reopening after being closed in June last year for safety upgrades. Ten carriages, accommodation carriages, historic sleeping carriages, a meeting room, workshop, office and sleepers are among the items damaged. Elsewhere, crews have been redirected from back-burning operations to protect more than 100 homes near Lithgow in Bell, Dargan, Berambing and Bilpin that were now under threat, RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said. ``This fire is by no means contained, Mr Rogers said. The RFS advised people in the area to seek shelter. Mr Rogers described conditions as ``okay, but said it would likely warm up today and winds could strengthen on Monday. No reprieve is expected until at least Tuesday, when showers may fall across the central and southern coasts. Meanwhile, the Defence Department is investigating whether there is a link between the Lithgow fire and an explosives training exercise at the Marrangaroo training area on Wednesday. An RFS spokesman told AAP there were no fire bans in place during the training exercise and that it occurred a day before extreme conditions were expected. NSW Premier Barry OFarrell said ``there was no suggestion that the explosives testing had sparked the blaze. While visiting the RFS command centre in Wyong, Mr OFarrell was confronted by an angry resident who said she almost died in a bushfire due to insufficient back-burning. ``Excuse me Mr OFarrell, I almost died on Thursday night, the reason being National Parks and Wildlife does not do perimeter burning on their property, Crangan Bay resident Sandra Kay said. Mr OFarrell said he would take her concerns to the local council and to parliament. On the central coast, firies were drinking for free after managing to save the much-loved ``Catho pub at Catherine Hill Bay. No one was injured, but an historic home was lost when a bushfire hit the town. ``Its beers all round. Ive told the RFS that the beers are on me today, publican Dean Beevor said. The Salvation Army is asking for people to donate cash, rather than goods, to its bushfire appeal. More than $300,000 dollars has already been raised.
Posted on: Sat, 19 Oct 2013 22:50:39 +0000
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