"That fire is some kilometres away [from the mine] but we are concerned about that," Deputy Commissioner Rogers said. "Crews on the ground are maintaining obviously close monitoring of that fire because the last thing we need is for that to get into coal areas or worse. It is a critical facility and as such, fire agencies will do whatever they can to keep fire out of that area." Centennial Coal, which operates the Springvale mine, has been approached for comment. Backburning took place on the Gospers Mountain Fire at Colo last week ahead of deteriorating weather conditions. Credit:Wolter Peeters NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said there is "a degree of concern" about the weather conditions on Thursday and Saturday, when the forecast for temperatures in Sydney's west is 43 and 46 degrees respectively.

"We have to accept ... that we won't contain these fires," she said. "What we do need to do is make a call on how best to deal with them and how best to protect life and property." The Premier said further announcements may be made in regards to the deteriorating conditions in coming days. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Holidaymakers warned to be alert to fire risk Ms Berejiklian urged holidaymakers to download the Fires Near Me app and plan their time off with the bushfires in mind.

The fires "are now approaching larger population centres and as people are moving around over the Christmas period, we want them to be aware and alert," she said. Bushfire summit announced amid 'leadership vacuum' As preparations continue for deteriorating fire conditions, a group of ex-emergency services chiefs announced on Tuesday they will hold their own emergency bushfire summit at the end of the season. Former Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Greg Mullins has announced a bushfire summit. Credit:AAP Former Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Greg Mullins, who leads the group, said "we are here because of the continuing bushfire crisis, and also because of the leadership vacuum in Canberra."

Loading "Here in NSW the fires are totally unprecedented. More country has been burned, three times more homes lost than our worst previous fire season... we have a heatwave coming, who knows what that will do, and the driving force behind this is climate change." Mr Mullins said the group has met and provided suggestions to the minister for Natural Disaster and Emergency Management, David Littleproud, and Energy Minister Angus Taylor, but multiple requests to meet with the Prime Minister had been rebuffed. "Because of that leadership vacuum it falls to us to call an emergency bushfire summit after this summer," he said. The summit would bring together people from all sectors including farmers, health professionals, firefighters, Indigenous people, military, and politicians from all levels of government, he said.