Bush fires continue to shut down parts of the NSW North Coast, with strong winds from the Hunter to Illawarra fanning conditions that have seen the threat move south into the Blue Mountains.
Fires are currently burning as far south as Yass.
The north eastern corner of the state has been battling out of control blazes since the first week in September, when the relentless dry conspired with gusty spring winds to blacken country from the Eastern Fall to the coast.
On Tuesday, RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons, with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, declared a week-long state of emergency, the first since bushfires threatened Blue Mountains' communities in 2013. In fact, lighter than expected northerlies helped Far North Coast fire fighters. But in the Hunter those same winds roared out of the north and north-west to 74 kilometres an hour at Newcastle, while the southerly change punching up the coast recorded 92km/h on Montague Island.
Mr Fitzsimmons reminded the public that spotting ahead of fires went beyond the normal "extreme" experience to a situation described as catastrophic, as firefighters recorded burning embers that started new blazes up to 12km ahead of the main fire front.
From north to south the current fire emergency continues to surprise. Sub-tropical rainforest on Mt Nardi, near Lismore - normally the wettest part of the Mt Warning caldera - is burning for the first time in 55 years.
Clarence Valley water supply was curtailed after bush fires cut power to pumps and created conditions too dangerous to allow staff to refuel generators.
What was the Bees Nest fire is now the Liberation Trail fire, encompassing more than 148,000ha and on Tuesday directly threatened farm communities west of Coffs Harbour before the southerly pushed it north, threatening other townships.
In the Gloucester area brown paddocks already dead with drought were converted to charcoal in places but quick decisions on where to cut fences saved cattle.
"It's a mess but everyone's safe," reported Michael Eassey, from Bowe and Lidbury.
For Tenterfield Angus breeders Lisa Martin and Colin Keevers, no fires this time made a welcome change and a new litter of Jack Russell puppies brought some joy, the product of a previous hasty escape with a car full of 10 dogs, half of them on heat!
