NSW Rural Fire Service cancels emergency warning for bushfire at Tenterfield

Updated

The NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) has downgraded an emergency warning in northern New South Wales due to an easing of conditions that had earlier been described as "uncontrollable, unpredictable and fast-moving".

The RFS said 20 to 30 homes were at risk from the fires blazing through dry terrain.

This latest emergency for the Tenterfield area, issued about 2.00pm, began when a spot fire developed ahead of the main fire burning north of the township.

The warning was downgraded to watch and act status about 5.15pm and later to advice level.

Residents have been advised to seek shelter in solid structures and monitor for spot fires.

The RFS said the Sunnyside Loop Road fire had crossed Washpool Creek Road in the Leechs Gully area and was likely to cross Mount Lindesay Road and move east towards the Bruxner Highway.

The RFS said more spot fires could develop in conditions that could see embers blown distances of up to 4 kilometres.

RFS Inspector Ben Shepherd said the fire had burnt through 50 to 100 hectares and the priority for crews was protecting homes.

"There are about 20 homes in the direct vicinity of this fire and further homes and properties further to the east, so we'll be doing what we can to try and slow this fire over the coming hours," he said.

"Hopefully we can hold it along that Mount Lindesay Road and then we can start moving to have this fire contained."

Residents at Homestead Road, Washpool Creek Road, Mount Lindesay Road, Bryans Gap Road, Black Swamp Road and Sommerlads Road have been advised to seek shelter and protection from the heat of the fire, or leave now if it is safe to do so.

Firefighters are on the scene, including Queensland crews from over the border, and are being supported by water bombing aircraft.

Inspector Shepherd said residents had been sent emergency alerts.

"We have sent emergency alert text messages to affected homes in the area, just advising them to seek shelter as that fire approaches," he said.

"It has developed quite rapidly and we are expecting the fire to continue to move in an easterly direction towards that Mount Lindsay Road area."

The emergency warning was issued shortly after 2.00pm.

The fire began at around 10:45am today and was upgraded to watch and act level before being downgraded to advice level around midday, before the spot fire triggered an emergency.

Inspector Shepherd said conditions looked likely to ease this evening as winds dropped and conditions cooled.

He said the fire was slowing in some places where there was less grass in paddocks to fuel them.

However due to the risk of spot fires, particularly in areas with longer grass, the emergency warning remains.

"It continues to burn in and around a number of rural properties so that advice still stands, especially for those people in that Leechs Gully area, to seek shelter as that fire approaches," he said.

"There's a lot of work to do still over the coming hours once the fire activity starts to abate, but at this stage it just so dry out there, and then these winds, spot fires are just developing ahead of it so there is always that risk that we could see that fire escalate further."

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Jordan Notara said strong westerly winds were moving through the area.

"We've obviously got the dry, warm conditions which are typical for these fires to be exacerbated," he said.

"For tomorrow, we are going to see the winds tending towards the east which will bring more humidity [and] so hopefully assisting fire containment."

This latest emergency warning comes after Tenterfield was among the areas stricken by fierce bushfires earlier this month that destroyed 26 homes.

A 66-year-old volunteer firefighter was severely burnt while working on the Tenterfield fireground.

Topics: disasters-and-accidents, fires, nsw, armidale-2350, tenterfield-2372

First posted