- ROLLING UPDATES: Cessnock, Port Stephens
- Emergency warnings issued for Lone Pine fire at Port Stephens, Racecourse Road at Cessnock.
- Kitchener, Abernethy residents told it’s too late to leave
SUNDAY
7:30pm: The fire threat at Limeburners Creek has eased.
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In an incredible effort, firefighters have managed to save all homes in the village after the fire front changed direction this evening.
The Racecourse Road fire at Cessnock has also dropped back to ‘Advice’ status.
There will be no respite tomorrow though, with higher temperatures and strong winds predicted.
5:45pm: The NSW Rural Fire Service is telling Limeburners Creek residents to ‘shelter in place’ as the Lone Pine fire hits.
Fire is still burning behind Abernethy and Kitchener in the Cessnock area.
The Newcastle Herald has confirmed that there have been property losses on the southern outskirts of Karuah, east of the Pacific Highway.
4:45pm: A wind change has pushed the Lone Pine fire in a northerly direction towards Limeburners Creek.
The Pacific Highway remains closed in both directions between Twelve Mile Creek and Bulahdelah and drivers are advised to avoid all non-essential travel.
2:45pm: According to the Transport Management Centre, there are reports of gridlock on the Pacific Highway approaching Bulahdelah from the north.
It appears to be a similar situation to what we had at Karuah earlier in the day, where the town reached capacity as drivers attempted to travel as far south as possible before they reached long queues and road blocks.
Drivers are still advised to avoid all non-essential travel, and if they are already on the road heading south, to stop at Taree or to take the Oxley Highway at Port Macquarie so they can link up with the New England Highway.
2:25pm: An emergency warning has just been issued for residents in the Abernethy and Kitchener areas.
An emergency alert message is being sent to phones in the area.
Because of strengthening winds and an increase in fire activity, residents are being advised it is too late to leave and they should shelter in place.
Kearsley residents are advised to continue to monitor the situation.
2pm: The Pacific Highway is closed in both directions between Twelve Mile Creek (west of Karuah) and Bulahdelah.
With motorists attempting to travel south on the highway there is now heavy traffic in the Bulahdelah area and the town is reaching capacity.
Motorists travelling south are advised to delay all non essential travel or to divert via the Oxley Highway at Port Macquarie and then use the New England Highway. Northbound motorists should divert onto the New England Highway at Beresfield.
The Bucketts Way is also closed between Limeburners Creek Road and the Pacific Highway and motorists should avoid the area.
12.30pm: The Cessnock fire at Racecourse Rd has been upgraded to Watch and Act due to strengthening winds and an increase in fire activity.
Residents of Kitchener and Kearsley are advised they may be impacted by smoke and embers.
Residents along Quorrobolong Road are advised they may be affected by fire. Residents are advised to continue to monitor the situation.
11.15am: An emergency warning has been issued for the Lone Pine fire burning near Port Stephens.
The fire has crossed the Pacific Highway near Tarean Road, moving in an easterly direction towards Scotts Road and towards the township of Karuah.
Residents of Karuah are advised to shelter in place as the fire front approaches.
The fire has crossed the Pacific Highway near Tarean Rd and is moving in an easterly direction towards Scotts Road.
Residents of Limeburners Creek and Swan Bay are advised to monitor the situation closely.
10.55am: The Herald has just checked in with Wayne Patterson, club supervisor at the Karuah and District RSL, which is usually the designated evacuation centre for the town in times of emergency.
Staff joke that people usually make a beeline for the club because it offers the best phone reception in Karuah.
Mr Patterson said the mood was calm, aside from traffic chaos on Karuah’s main road leading south out of the town, which has been blocked off.
“They’re queued up over the bridge,” he said. “We’re just telling people to park in the car park and put their feet up and relax.
“Have a cold drink and wait for the fire to go past,” he said with a chuckle.
“We can see a very dark plume of smoke but the north-westerly wind seems to be keeping it away from the town itself.”
10:30: Winds have started to pick up in the Cessnock area, according to Weatherzone Meteorologist Kim Westcott.
They are now gusting up to 37 kilometres an hour in a north westerly direction until a southerly change moves in from around midday.
Temperatures are expected to climb to up to 29 degrees on the fire ground at Cessnock today, while firefighters battling the Lone Pine fire will be contending with temperatures of up to 27 degrees and similar gusty winds.
Conditions are dry – with humidity of around 25 to 30 per cent – and the winds are not expected to ease until this evening.
8am: Two boys will be dealt with under the Young Offenders Act after a they lit a small campfire that quickly spread out of control on Shoal Bay peninsular on Saturday.
The fire in Lighthouse Reserve was reported around 1pm, and burnt out an acre of bushland before RFS volunteers extinguished it.
Two members of the public detained two 16-year-old boys seen moving away from the fire, who were then arrested by police.
It was determined the pair lit a camp fire during the total fire ban, however there was no malicious intent, police said.
Still in the Port Stephens region, the Pacific Highway has been closed in both directions at Twelve Mile Creek due to the Lone Pine fire.
Motorists have been urged to avoid the area and use the New England Highway.
7am: A watch and act alert remains on the Racecourse Road fire that threatened homes at Cessnock on Saturday.
Conditions eased later on Saturday evening as firefighters worked in streets around the bushland to protect homes including around Vincent Street and Jeffries Street at Cessnock, Cessnock Street at Aberdare, and in North Kitchener.
Crews were backburning overnight where conditions would allow it, prompting the RFS to warn residents would see an increase in fire and smoke during those operations.
Meanwhile, the Pacific Highway has reopened near Kempsey after a bushfire flared at Kundabung.
SATURDAY
9pm: After a long day, the RFS has declared no fires in the state are at the level requiring an emergency warning.
8:20pm: The immediate threat to homes has now passed at all three fire grounds in the Hunter, with night-fall bringing easing winds and cooler temperatures.
With temperatures in the high twenties and gusty winds predicted tomorrow, crews will work through the night to establish containment lines through extensive back-burning operations.
Here is the situation as it stands:
-The Heddon Greta fire has been downgraded to Advice level and crews are on the ground mopping up. The cause of the fire – which broke out late in the afternoon – will be the subject of an investigation.
-The fire north of Raymond Terrace is at Watch and Act level. The village of Limeburners Creek appears to have escaped relatively unscathed thanks to the efforts of firefighters who were able to halt the advance of a massive fire front. Limeburners Creek Road and the Bucketts Way are expected to remain closed for some time but the Pacific Highway has reopened.
-Crews are taking advantage of easing conditions to carry out backburning on the western edge of the Cessnock fire to try and get containment. An impact assessment will be carried out tomorrow, if safe, to determine if any homes have been lost or damaged.
The Rural Fire Service was not aware of any injuries or loss of human life on Saturday evening.
It’s over and out for the Herald’s live blog, but our coverage will continue online from tomorrow morning and in Monday’s print edition.
7:50pm: Port Stephens fire downgraded to Watch and Act
The situation in the Hunter finally appears to be easing, with the second fire north of Raymond Terrace also downgraded to Watch and Act.
Earlier this evening the fire appeared to be on a collision course with the village of Limeburners Creek, however crews managed to slow its advance under cooler conditions.
The blaze is continuing to burn in the area around Bucketts Way. Firefighters will continue to work on the fire overnight and across Sunday.
The Pacific Highway has now reopened in both directions but North Medowie Road remains closed.
7:40pm: Cessnock blaze downgraded to Watch and Act
Firefighters have again managed to contain the Racecourse Road blaze near Cessnock, and the immediate threat to homes has eased.
Firefighters are working in streets around the bushland to protect homes including around Vincent Street and Jeffries Street at Cessnock, Cessnock Street at Aberdare, and in North Kitchener.
Avoid using roads including Lake Road, Kearsley Road and Abernethy Street.
Residents should continue to monitor conditions throughout the evening.
7:30pm: A dusky sky line across the Hunter as the sun set this evening. The smoke haze can still be seen across the entire city.
6.20PM: The Racecourse Road fire has flared up and is close to homes around Aberdare, Kearsley, Kitchener and Abernethy.
Firefighters are working in streets around the bushland to protect homes including around Vincent Street and Jeffries Street at Cessnock, Cessnock Street at Aberdare, and in north Kitchener.
Motorists are advised to avoid using Lake Road, Kearsley Road and Abernethy Street.
Another fire has broken out on Young Street, Heddon Greta and is at ‘watch and act’ level.
4PM: Cessnock residents have been advised to leave as a bushfire bears down on the Hunter community.
The Rural Fire Service issued an emergency warning for the Racecourse Road bushfire around 2.20pm, urging residents in the vicinity who had planned to leave to do so now, if the path was clear.
The fire is burning on several fronts and weather conditions are hampering efforts to bring it under control.
“The fire is also burning towards the area of Evans Street and Vincent Street,” the warning stated.
“If you are in the area of Racecourse Road, Evans Street or Vincent Street, leave now if the path is clear. If the path is not clear, seek shelter as the fire impacts and protect yourself from the heat of the fire.”
Ground and aerial firefighters are battling the blaze, which has burnt its way through more than 180 hectares and generating large amounts of smoke.
Rural Fire Service Inspector Ben Shepherd said residents around Racecourse Road, Vincent Street, Evans Street and nearby are being advised to leave if the path is clear, and seek shelter if it is not.
The fire started in Werakata National Park around midday on Saturday.
As the wind changed it moved swiftly to South Cessnock, and is now burning towards Aberdare and Kearsley.
Residents in nearby properties, including Bellbird Heights to the west received an emergency warning from the RFS, and some have chosen to evacuate.
Earlier warnings advised residents of Racecourse Road to be aware of burning embers, and suggested it may not be safe to return to their homes.
Firefighters and aircraft are on scene and are protecting homes.
Meanwhile, watch and act alerts have been issued as fires burn north of Raymond Terrace and east of Wauchope.
The Lone Pine fire is out of control, burning intensely and spreading quickly at Balickera, north of the Grahamstown Dam.
The Pacific Highway has been closed near the Weigh Station, north of Raymond Terrace and will likely be closed for some time, the NSW Roads and Maritime Service advises.
Further north in the Port Macquarie-Hastings local government area, the Oxley Highway is closed after a watch and and act alert was issued for a bushfire at King Creek, east of Wauchope.
The fire has since been contained, however the road is expected to remain closed for some time.
The following advice has been issued to residents:
-Be aware of burning embers. Put out any spot fires on your property if it is safe to do so.
-Check and follow your bush fire survival plan.
-If your plan is to leave, or you are not prepared, leave early.
-Well prepared and actively defended homes can offer safety during the fire.
-If your life is at risk, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.