NSW weather: Properties damaged, residents told to leave as bushfire emergency grips state

Properties are under threat and it is too late to leave some areas as NSW RFS issues emergency warnings for blazes at Dondingalong, Kains Flat, Boggabri, Leadville near Dunedoo, and Beechwood.

The NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) has issued emergency warnings for five blazes.

At Leadville, near Dunedoo, a fire breached containment lines and is heading east toward Cassilis, while another fire at Beechwood, 50 kilometres west of Port Macquarie is threatening properties.

Fires at Boggabri, Kains Flat and Dondingalong are the latest fires to have prompted emergency warnings for residents.

People near the Leadville fire have been given directions on where to move by the RFS:

• People in the areas of Uarbry, Turill and Cassilis should seek shelter as the fire front approaches. It is too late to leave
• People in the area of Leadville should leave now towards Dunedoo if the path is clear
• People to the east of Cassilis should leave now towards Merriwa if the path is clear
• People to the north of Ulan should move south towards Mudgee if the path is clear

Those at the Lower Pappinbarra fire are being warned to seek shelter.

At the Kains Flat fire, north east of Mudgee, at 4.40pm the RFS advised people around Cumbo Road and the village of Wollar to leave immediately and head east towards Bylong.

The 2,000-hectare fire burning since yesterday at Leadville near Dunedoo, east of Dubbo, is moving at 12 kilometres per hour and has burned some property, RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said.

‘Too late to leave’ Dondingalong, Boggabri, Leadville fires

The Boggabri fire is burning south near Binalong Road, and has crossed the Kamilaroi Highway and the Namoi River.

The RFS is also advising it is too late to leave the path of the Boggabri fire and residents should “take shelter as the fire front approaches and protect yourself from the heat of fire”.

Similar warnings have been issued for the fire at Spring Hill Road, Dondingalong, south of Kempsey, where properties are under direct threat.

Meanwhile, several isolated rural properties are also under threat at Beechwood.

Two fires are burning to the west of Wauchope in the vicinity of Pappinbarra Rd moving in an South Easterly direction towards Beechwood.

The fire is spreading quickly under worsening conditions.

Residents in the vicinity of Pappinbarra Rd in Hollisdale, Lower Pappinbarra and Beechwood are advised to seek shelter as the fire front arrives.

A ‘difficult day’ for NSW

More than 1,000 RFS firefighters are battling 85 fires across the state, with 35 of those not yet contained.

Eight fires on the state’s mid north coast and in the central west are under watch and act alert levels at O’Connell, Narromine, Goolma, Myall River, Terreel, Wherrol Flat and Giro.

NSW RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said it was a “difficult day” and he had reports at least one home had been lost in the Boggabri blaze and possibly several in the fire near Dunedoo.

“At this stage we have got some unconfirmed reports of some homes being lost, sheds being lost, machinery being lost and other agricultural assets being lost on some of these fire grounds,” he said.

“At this stage we’ve got no reports of any serious injuries to either firefighters or other members of the community.”

Mr Fitzsimmons addressed reports of arson throughout the state and said deliberately lighting fires was a “heinous act”.

“How dare they, how dare you. It’s a criminal act, it’s a dangerous act,” he said.

“You put the lives at risk of our firefighters, the vast majority of whom are out there doing it for free, simply to make a difference and protect their local community.”

This post originally appeared on ABC News.