MORE than 130 firefighters and seven aircraft were yesterday battling to gain control of a major fire near Tarago that has burned more than 3200 hectares.
There were unconfirmed reports of one home lost and stock losses.
Rural Fire Service spokesman Paul Best said conditions were deteriorating.
Crews were working to douse continual flare ups across a 44-kilometre perimeter around the fire.
In Gowan, near Bathurst, five aircraft were deployed yesterday morning in a bid to contain a fire that had scorched 269ha.
Across the state the Rural Fire Service is fighting 29 fires from Bunnaloo in the southern Riverina to north of Bingara, which have razed more than 7000 hectares.
And it is only mid-January.
Even as temperatures see-saw from 40-plus degrees Celsius down to low 30s throughout the state, summer is nowhere near over and authorities fear the worst for the weeks to come as country fuelled up from winter rains and spring growth dry out.
Seven fires were yesterday out of control.
History was made at the Wuuluman fire on Sunday evening when a helicopter equipped with infrared and night scoping identified hot spots in a bid to stop the fire breaking containment lines.
This fire, which burned close to 2800ha across six grazing properties, has pressed Wellington local Tony Inder, “Nyrang”, to form a fodder appeal to assist affected stock.
“Those blokes affected, I know, would step in and help us if the shoe was on the other foot, so I feel we need to do something to help them now,” Mr Inder said.
He began making phone calls last Friday and by Sunday had pledges for as much as 300 tonnes of hay and several trucks to cart it.
“I believe there would be close to 20,000 sheep and possibly between 2000 to 3000 head of cattle that have basically been forced into a drought as all feed reserves have been burnt.
“The fodder reserve those farmers would have put aside in spring and early summer would be put away for winter,” he said.
“While the majority of those reserves may still be there, if they use them up front, their stocks for winter will be depleted when they need it most.”
He said immediate help was best. Mr Inder said he sought pledges for hay if and when called upon, plus trucks to help transport it.
“We are using a shed on Peter Barton’s “Brooklyn” property as a depot.”
Fires currently out of control include areas at Tarago and Boro in the Queanbeyan-Palerang areas, Gowan near Bathurst, Nowendoc near Walcha, and Diggers Camp in the Clarence Valley.
