A woman has been charged with lighting a rubbish fire that burned up almost 3,000 hectares of bushland near Tabulam

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

More than a dozen buildings have been destroyed – including six homes – and eight others damaged by a wild bushfire in northern New South wales being fanned by unpredictable winds.

But authorities were hoping conditions would improve later on Thursday, helping crews bring the blaze at Tingha under control.

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An emergency warning remains in place for the fire, which continued to spread overnight in multiple directions due to changing winds.

It has burnt through more than 12,000 hectares and is pushing towards properties in Gilgai, Ponds Creek, Old Mill and Stannifer.

NSW Rural Fire Service Inspector Ben Shepherd confirmed six homes have already been razed and more are at risk, with winds expected to pick up before they drop off later in the morning.

Helirescue (@helirescue) Tasked to Tingha this afternoon for a male who had fallen from a roof. The male patient was flown to the Lismore Base Hospital in stable condition with suspected rib fractures. Pictured is also a Blackhawk helicopter fighting the bush fires in area. #helirescue #nswbushfires pic.twitter.com/TMO6fG1O8R

“We should hopefully see all these fires start to reduce in their alert levels over the coming hours,” he said.

“We have got a very much more favourable day - no total fire bans in place for NSW, with low to moderate (fire danger) across most of the state.”

A woman will face court accused of lighting one of the bushfires. The 40-year-old was charged on Wednesday night for allegedly lighting rubbish on fire in a steel drum in her backyard near Tabulam on Tuesday morning.

The blaze was allegedly left unattended in the hot weather and amid a total fire ban.

It quickly spread to bushland, incinerated almost 3,000 hectares and forced the evacuation of the Jubullum Aboriginal area before destroying five houses.

The woman was charged with intentionally causing fire and being reckless to its spread during a total fire ban, and ordered to appear in Casino local court on 27 February.