Source: Yahoo!7 and agencies October 19, 2013, 7:53 am
After bringing several large fires in NSW under control, firefighters face a tough weekend with temperatures across the state predicted to rise.
The fires in NSW have left one man dead and authorities warn that hundreds of homes have been lost.
More than 1500 firefighters were on the ground across the state on Friday as more than 90 fires scorched through 91,000 hectares and destroyed at least 80 homes.
The Rural Fire Service listed six fires as watch and act on Friday night, with no emergency warnings in place.
Crews worked to build and strengthen containment lines on Friday evening, ahead of the predicted warm and dry weather on the weekend.
On Friday the mercury sat in the low 20s in most of the state and while it's predicted to climb by a few degrees on Saturday, parts of the state will be in the low 30s on Sunday, a Bureau of Meteorology spokesman told AAP.
"On Saturday the fire danger is becoming slightly higher," the BoM spokesman said.
Fortunately the 102km/h winds that fanned flames on Thursday won't be back, with the strongest breeze expected to blow at 30km/h on the NSW south coast.
Conditions on Sunday are expected to worsen, becoming drier with temperatures in the low 30s but the winds aren't predicted to pick up.
GALLERY: Resident Sean Butler stands in front of his 1958 bus after fighting a fire with five other residents at the historic township Newnes Junction, north of Lithgow. Photo: AAP.
Meteorologists believe no rain will fall over the weekend but showers could develop along the Victorian border on Monday.
From Wednesday light showers are predicted for the central and southern coasts.
Cloud is expected to form early next week, which would drop temperatures and increase the chance of rain, the BoM spokesman said.
"Cloud is good, always good," he said.
"It's favourable for firefighting."
'NSW bushfires: firefighters try to gain upper hand amid cool weather
Firefighters have been making the most of cooler weather overnight to work on containment lines around six major bushfires in New South Wales before conditions worsen in the coming days.
In the worst-hit part of the Blue Mountains 81 properties have been destroyed and it is thought hundreds of homes could have been lost across the state in Thursday's blazes.
One man died trying to protect his home from a fire than burnt from Doyalson to Catherine Hill Bay, at Lake Macquarie.
Watch and act warnings remain in place for fires in the Southern Highlands, Wyong, Mount Victoria, Lithgow, Heatherbrae and Springwood in the Blue Mountains.
Around 190 firefighters are working to contain the Springwood fire which is still burning out of control.
Firefighters will work throughout the day at other fires between Lithgow and Bilpen, Port Stephen and on the Central Coast, before hot and windy conditions return on Sunday.
The Bureau of Meteorology's Dimitri Danchuk says the hot weather will continue until Wednesday with no chance of relief from a cool change.
"This spell of very hot temperatures will last at least for the near future, we shouldn't expect rapidly moving cold fronts anymore," he said.
"The pattern is becoming more slow moving, effectively meaning we could see more prolonged spells of very warm to hot temperatures."
Impact assessment teams will travel to the Blue Mountains today to assess the damage and some residents have been allowed to return home.
The Rural Fire Service's Kane Lambkin says some areas are still not safe.
"Some areas have experienced flare-ups and there's still a lot of work to be done, so some areas are still very unsafe for people to go into," he said.
Joel Kursawe from the Rural Fire Service says cooler conditions have helped fire crews battling the worst blazes.
The historic Wallarah House burnt to the ground on the headland at Catherine Hill Bay near Wyong on the Central Coast. Credit: AAP
"Those cooler conditions we've seen over the last 12 to 24 hours have been a welcomed relief for fire crews on the ground," he said.
"Winds obviously not as strong as they were yesterday have assisted the crews in being able to put in some very solid backburns on a number of these fires as they work towards strengthening containment lines."
Families and pets sheltering in evacuation centres
District Officer Alex Chesser says the threat is certainly not over.
"We will be working very hard and using every opportunity we have to get work in contain these fires," he said.
"In saying that it it is unlikely that that is going to be achieved on some of out fire grounds just due to the absolute size and nature of what we are trying to deal with."
Families and their pets are still in evacuation centres after their homes were destroyed in the fires.
Tim, a volunteer at the Springwood evacuation centre, says there have been hundreds of people seeking shelter.
"Whole families covered in ash coming in, just shell-shocked," he said.
"Lots of pets in there today, from possums to rabbits to iguanas to dogs."
Girls questioned over fire in Sydney's south-west
Meanwhile, police have questioned two girls after a fire was lit in a reserve in Sydney's south-west.
Police were attending an incident at Bonnyrigg yesterday afternoon when they were approached by members of the public who told them two girls were lighting fires in a nearby reserve.
Officers say they found a fire burning through native grass and contained the blaze before firefighters arrived.
Police conducted a search of the area and located a 13-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl at a nearby business.
The pair were arrested and taken to Fairfield Police Station.
Both girls have been released pending further inquiries.
PICTURE GALLERY: Sydney choked in smoke as bushfires burn
After bringing several large fires in NSW under control, firefighters face a tough weekend with temperatures across the state predicted to rise.
The fires in NSW have left one man dead and authorities warn that hundreds of homes have been lost.
More than 1500 firefighters were on the ground across the state on Friday as more than 90 fires scorched through 91,000 hectares and destroyed at least 80 homes.
The Rural Fire Service listed six fires as watch and act on Friday night, with no emergency warnings in place.
Crews worked to build and strengthen containment lines on Friday evening, ahead of the predicted warm and dry weather on the weekend.
On Friday the mercury sat in the low 20s in most of the state and while it's predicted to climb by a few degrees on Saturday, parts of the state will be in the low 30s on Sunday, a Bureau of Meteorology spokesman told AAP.
"On Saturday the fire danger is becoming slightly higher," the BoM spokesman said.
Fortunately the 102km/h winds that fanned flames on Thursday won't be back, with the strongest breeze expected to blow at 30km/h on the NSW south coast.
Conditions on Sunday are expected to worsen, becoming drier with temperatures in the low 30s but the winds aren't predicted to pick up.
GALLERY: Resident Sean Butler stands in front of his 1958 bus after fighting a fire with five other residents at the historic township Newnes Junction, north of Lithgow. Photo: AAP.
Meteorologists believe no rain will fall over the weekend but showers could develop along the Victorian border on Monday.
From Wednesday light showers are predicted for the central and southern coasts.
Cloud is expected to form early next week, which would drop temperatures and increase the chance of rain, the BoM spokesman said.
"Cloud is good, always good," he said.
"It's favourable for firefighting."
'NSW bushfires: firefighters try to gain upper hand amid cool weather
Firefighters have been making the most of cooler weather overnight to work on containment lines around six major bushfires in New South Wales before conditions worsen in the coming days.
In the worst-hit part of the Blue Mountains 81 properties have been destroyed and it is thought hundreds of homes could have been lost across the state in Thursday's blazes.
One man died trying to protect his home from a fire than burnt from Doyalson to Catherine Hill Bay, at Lake Macquarie.
Watch and act warnings remain in place for fires in the Southern Highlands, Wyong, Mount Victoria, Lithgow, Heatherbrae and Springwood in the Blue Mountains.
Around 190 firefighters are working to contain the Springwood fire which is still burning out of control.
Firefighters will work throughout the day at other fires between Lithgow and Bilpen, Port Stephen and on the Central Coast, before hot and windy conditions return on Sunday.
The Bureau of Meteorology's Dimitri Danchuk says the hot weather will continue until Wednesday with no chance of relief from a cool change.
"This spell of very hot temperatures will last at least for the near future, we shouldn't expect rapidly moving cold fronts anymore," he said.
"The pattern is becoming more slow moving, effectively meaning we could see more prolonged spells of very warm to hot temperatures."
Impact assessment teams will travel to the Blue Mountains today to assess the damage and some residents have been allowed to return home.
The Rural Fire Service's Kane Lambkin says some areas are still not safe.
"Some areas have experienced flare-ups and there's still a lot of work to be done, so some areas are still very unsafe for people to go into," he said.
Joel Kursawe from the Rural Fire Service says cooler conditions have helped fire crews battling the worst blazes.
The historic Wallarah House burnt to the ground on the headland at Catherine Hill Bay near Wyong on the Central Coast. Credit: AAP
"Those cooler conditions we've seen over the last 12 to 24 hours have been a welcomed relief for fire crews on the ground," he said.
"Winds obviously not as strong as they were yesterday have assisted the crews in being able to put in some very solid backburns on a number of these fires as they work towards strengthening containment lines."
Families and pets sheltering in evacuation centres
District Officer Alex Chesser says the threat is certainly not over.
"We will be working very hard and using every opportunity we have to get work in contain these fires," he said.
"In saying that it it is unlikely that that is going to be achieved on some of out fire grounds just due to the absolute size and nature of what we are trying to deal with."
Families and their pets are still in evacuation centres after their homes were destroyed in the fires.
Tim, a volunteer at the Springwood evacuation centre, says there have been hundreds of people seeking shelter.
"Whole families covered in ash coming in, just shell-shocked," he said.
"Lots of pets in there today, from possums to rabbits to iguanas to dogs."
Girls questioned over fire in Sydney's south-west
Meanwhile, police have questioned two girls after a fire was lit in a reserve in Sydney's south-west.
Police were attending an incident at Bonnyrigg yesterday afternoon when they were approached by members of the public who told them two girls were lighting fires in a nearby reserve.
Officers say they found a fire burning through native grass and contained the blaze before firefighters arrived.
Police conducted a search of the area and located a 13-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl at a nearby business.
The pair were arrested and taken to Fairfield Police Station.
Both girls have been released pending further inquiries.
PICTURE GALLERY: Sydney choked in smoke as bushfires burn
