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Far South Coast tourists have been warned to leave now if they hope to get home in the New Year period. The Rural Fire Service on Monday warned there was significant potential for coast fires to affect travel plans for people in the Eurobodalla and Bega areas on New Year's Eve and in coming days. "Visitors who choose to remain may not be able to leave until any fire-impacted areas can be made safe," an RFS spokesperson said. "If you need to leave, leaving now is the safest option." A fast-moving bushfire to the north of Bemboka, north-west of Bega, burning at emergency, later downgraded to watch and act, forced the closure of the Snowy Mountains Highway between the Monaro Highway and Princes Highway. The highway was one of the last remaining routes to the southern end of the coast. Parts of the road reopened about 9pm, but were later closed again. On Tuesday morning, the Snowy Mountains Highway remained closed between Mogilla Road, east of Bemboka, and the Princes Highway. The Princes Highway was closed between Batemans Bay and Moruya as well as between Cobargo and Brogo. People in the area from Yankees Gap to Bemboka who plan to leave their properties were advised to leave towards Bega. An evacuation centre has been established at the Bega Showground. An out-of-control fire at Myrtle Mountain Rd, Wyndham burning to the west of Pambula was downgraded to watch and act late on Monday night. Meanwhile, crews have worked to consolidate the northern and north-eastern parts of the Currowan fire near the Shoalhaven River but there was "every likelihood" the fire could jump the water, NSW Rural Fire Service district officer Brad Collins said. On Tuesday morning, the Clyde Mountain Fire was at emergency warning level, the Charleys Forest fire was at watch and act and the Currowan Fire was at advice level. On Monday, northwesterly winds put pressure on firefighters to contain fire near Nelligen and Batemans Bay. Rural Fire Service incident controller Mark Williams said the decision had been made for a separate declaration under section 44 of the Rural Fires Act. A 3500-hectare blaze burning near the Kings Highway, north-west of Batemans Bay, was renamed the Clyde Mountain Fire on Sunday. He said a team based at Moruya would "staff up" over the coming days and would manage the fire, as well as other blazes in the Eurobodalla Shire. That included the Araluen Road fire in the Deua River Valley, west of Mogo, which had burnt 109 hectares. Superintendent Williams said due to the "complexities" of the Kings Highway fire, it would be "advantageous to have its own management structure down there". The change of name also allowed both teams to deliver warnings and advice to the public in their own areas. The Currowan fire, north of the Kings Highway up to south of Nowra, had burnt more than 219,000 hectares, and would continue to be managed out of Nowra. On Monday, there were deteriorating weather conditions and strong north-westerly winds across all fire grounds. Supt Williams said conditions were advantageous for those living north of the Currowan fire, as the north-westerly wind would "make [the fire] slower, pushing it back on itself". However, northwesterlies would give "significant concern" for fire to move towards Batemans Bay and the southern side of Nelligen. A total fire ban was declared for Monday. A strong southerly would put pressure on containment on Tuesday afternoon Supt Williams said. In the northern part of the Currowan fire, firefighters had been backburning for the past week to hold fire to the west of Braidwood Road and and south of Burrier Road. Supt Williams said the backburn had reached the bottom of Bamarang Reservoir. He reminded the public to reconsider travel plans to the South Coast. Check Fires Near Me, Live Traffic and the Bureau of Meteorology for information. READ MORE

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