Source: Facebook/NSW RFS Wallacia
Up to 30 homes are reportedly at risk after a bushfire on the NSW north coast broke containment lines on Monday afternoon.
Firefighters issued an emergency warning for the fire in the Clarence Valley on Monday, urging residents to seek shelter.
The fire at Nymboida, about 30 kilometres south-west of Grafton, was downgraded late on Sunday but broke through containment lines again on Monday afternoon.
The NSW Rural Fire Service said the blaze was burning close to isolated properties, in a south-westerly direction under north-easterly winds.
Also on Monday, firefighters were battling to contain a large grass fire which erupted in western Sydney.
The fast-moving blaze began burning just before 1.50pm near Nepean Rugby Park at Hickeys Lane in Penrith. Crews from 10 fire trucks worked to extinguish the blaze as it crept towards a nearby industrial estate.
North of the Queensland border, residents south-west of Brisbane were also preparing to leave their homes on Monday, as fires continued to bur on a day of soaring temperatures.
Residents in Hendon, Upper Wheatvale and Bony Mountain were warned on Monday morning as firefighters worked to control a blaze moving through the area. The fire is travelling towards Mountain Road and Upper Wheatvale Road.
“Conditions could get worse quickly. Firefighters are working to contain the fire,” the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services “prepare to leave” warning said.
And in the country’s west, a fire burning in scrubby parkland in Perth’s wealthy western suburbs was brought under control after earlier looming as a possible threat to lives and homes.
The fire started in Bold Park, with emergency warnings issued early on Monday. That was later downgraded after firefighters strengthened containment lines and controlled the blaze.
A bushfire advice warning remained for the area bounded by Oceanic Drive, Perry Lakes Drive, Stephenson Avenue, Rochdale Road and West Coast Highway in parts of City Beach, Floreat and Mount Claremont in the cities of Cambridge and Nedlands.
Source: Bureau of Meteorology
Back in NSW’s Clarence Valley, people on Glens Creek Road or Frickers Road at Nymboida were warned to shelter in place.
“Do not be caught in the open in the path of the fire. Go inside and protect yourself from the fire front,” an RFS warning said.
People in the village of Nymboida were also warned to stay alert and monitor their surroundings. The ABC reported that up to 30 homes were under threat from the fire, which covers more than 500 hectares.
Strong winds and high temperatures have complicated the task for firefighters as they work to control dozens of fires across NSW.
Many other fires are at advice level with wind warnings in place for parts of the NSW coastline, and much warmer weather expected later in the week. See all of NSW’s fire warnings and updates here.
People affected by bushfires in parts of NSW can now access disaster assistance through government grants.
NSW Emergency Minister Jihad Dib said the money is available for people impacted by fires in the Inverell, Kyogle and Tenterfield local government areas from October 13 onwards, and people living in the mid-western local government area from October 17.
“We remain dedicated to communities in the face of hazards and will be there long before a disaster strikes and long after the disaster has passed,” he said.
The loans are on offer through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, co-funded with the federal government.
Federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said the bushfires have caused significant damage.
“While we move quickly to activate this early assistance, we also continue to work alongside the NSW government to collect information and fully understand the impact of these fires,” he said.
Tweet from @QldFES
Firefighters were on also on high alert in Queensland, with blazes continuing to burn across the state and hot conditions expected mid-week.
By Monday, more than 50 fires were burning across the state with numerous emergency and advice warnings. See all of Queensland’s fire warnings here.
Firefighters were able to contain a blaze that threatened propertes north of Brisbane, and burnt almost 400 hectares after conditions eased.
Nearly 40 crews and seven waterbombing aircraft were needed to gain control of the large fire at Beerwah.
Tweet from @QldFES
People were told to leave their homes late on Saturday but the warning was later downgraded, with residents asked to stay inside to avoid smoke.
The blaze was burning in containment lines but crews remained on standby with hot temperatures and high fire dangers expected.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned above average temperatures have been forecast for most of inland Queensland by mid-week.
With temperatures expected to soar to 40 degrees in southern inland towns Charleville and Roma, as well as Longreach and Mount Isa in the state’s north-west, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services has issued local fire bans across much of the state from midnight Tuesday until Friday.
The bureau said temperatures were five to 10 degrees above average for southern and central Queensland.
“Certainly they are more summer-like temperatures than October-like,” a bureau spokesperson said.
The fire danger across the state was largely “moderate” on Monday despite 53 blazes burning in Queensland.
However, high fire danger looked set to return by Wednesday for most of inland Queensland as stronger winds developed, the bureau said.
The Channel Country in western Queensland could potentially move to extreme high fire danger in the coming days.
-with AAP