Firefighting chopper

[Guest Darren Masters]

Just had it pass real low over my place and tracking towards the East over the M4. It was the Erikson Air Crane.

 

 

[Robbo]

Elvis is off to the concert. I think there is a fire up your way mate. Heard something on the news earlier.

 

 

[Guest Darren Masters]

Would not surprise me. Plenty of dry grass along the motorway here.

 

 

[Robbo]

Source: http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24916185-5001021,00.html

 

Residents in danger as fire rages

A BUSHFIRE in Sydney's north is threatening more than a dozen factories and has been declared an emergency - just hours after officials declared a total fire ban across the state.

 

The blaze is burning at the rear of a factory complex on Gundah Rd at Mount Kuring-Gai and workers from 15 factories have already been evacuated.

 

It was detected about 1.30pm, just one hour after the RFS declared a total fire ban in Sydney due to scorching temperature and hot, dry winds.

 

"Firefighters have been doing property protection at the rear of one of the factories, with embers blowing over that complex," an RFS spokesman said.

 

"We've done that simply because of the potential risk in that area."

 

Fifteen crews and two water-bombing helicopters are fighting the blaze, which is believed to have broken out about 3pm.

 

Up to 150 firefighters and four aerial water-bombers are battling the blaze and motorists on the Pacific Highway and the F3 are advised to drive cautiously in the area due to a large amount of smoke.

 

Residents in nearby Berowra have also been put on high alert and told to start preparing their properties following news that crews are expecting a southerly wind change which could direct the fire towards their homes.

 

Meanwhile, residents in parts of semi-rural Londonderry, near Penrith, are being warned that properties near the intersection of Londonderry Rd and White Gates Rd are in danger from a scrub fire.

 

Residents have been warned to stay indoors.

 

Firefighters are also battling two bushfires on military sites elsewhere in the state.

 

A fire at a Singleton army firing range had burnt 400 hectares, while another at a Richmond Valley bombing range had ravaged 10 hectares.

 

While both were "delicate" jobs, there had not been any explosions from on-site munitions, the RFS spokesmen said.

 

A small grass fire at Penrith earlier on Thursday has been extinguished.

 

Cooler weather and storms expected to hit Sydney later today are not yet helping firefighters and may instead hinder their work if it becomes windy.

 

Crews and aircraft were also on standby to deal with spot fires caused by possible lightning, the spokesman said.

 

A total fire ban has been put in place across Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle as temperatures soar throughout NSW.

 

The RFS had placed the ban on lighting fires in the open in the greater Sydney and Hunter regions, Illawarra/Shoalhaven and the southern ranges.

 

The bans were put in place at 12.30pm until midnight tonight.

 

Temperatures have topped 40C in western Sydney, with coastal areas sweltering in the high 30s.

 

Much of NSW is now under total fire bans, with bans declared last night over large swathes of the state's west and south.

[Guest OzChris]

Wow - the heats moving up north by the looks of it...we got 2 days of it here in Victoria, glad its gone, for a while anyway.

 

There is just so much dry bush around - fires are going to be bad again this year by the looks of it!

 

 

[Guest Darren Masters]

It would be the Luddenham one Robbo. The fire season has kicked off later than usual this time.

 

 

[Guest justAL]

Amazing the amount of air that thing pushes around.

 

My missus was so close she could touch Elvis.