'Imminent threat to lives' as bushfires ravage northern NSW

fire burning near Tingha in north-eastern NSW is spreading quickly in multiple directions under strong and gusty winds, and posing "an imminent threat to lives and properties", the NSW Rural Fire Service has warned.

Gusty winds and high temperatures have combined to create "difficult conditions" for firefighters battling blazes in NSW on Wednesday, despite conditions easing overnight.

Two major bushfires, near Tingha and Tabulam, were upgraded to the "emergency" warning level on Wednesday morning as conditions in the north-east of the state deteriorated with the fires remaining out of control.

As the fire bears down on Tingha, "crews are conducting property protection where it is safe to do so, and liaising with local residents," the RFS said in an update at 2.45pm.

Residents in the Tingha township are now advised to "seek shelter if the fire reaches your location" and "protect yourself from the heat of the fire".

Guyra Road and New Valley Road will be closed, meaning access to the town is cut off.

Residents in the Howell Road and Old Mill area were given the same advice.

The Tingha fire has so far burnt through more than 5600 hectares of bushland. Easing overnight conditions had helped crews working on the fire, allowing them to backburn.

An evacuation centre has been set up at Inverell High School, and a number of schools in the area have been closed for Wednesday.

The fire burning near the Bruxner Highway, west of Tabulam, was also upgraded to "emergency" about 12.40pm.

Strong winds have hampered the efforts of firefighters battling that blaze, which has burnt more than 2500 hectares.

There are reports of structural loss in the area from Tuesday evening, including unconfirmed reports that parts of an Aboriginal settlement have been damaged.

Two other bushfires in the region were upgraded to Watch and Act on Wednesday afternoon. One is burning west of the Tabulam fire at Wallangarra, the other is south of the Tingha fire at Linton.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Katarina Kovacevic said a fire weather warning remained in place for the affected areas, and total fire bans were in place for the Far North Coast, New England, Northern Slopes and north-western regions.

Ms Kovacevic said daytime temperatures in the mid- to high-30s in the region and dry winds would make the work of firefighters difficult.

"These fresh and gusty north-westerly winds will line up with hot temperatures and dry conditions … those three things will combine to make for elevated fire dangers and difficult conditions for firefighters today," she said.

RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rodgers told Nine News that crews would need to "remain vigilant" on Wednesday as they battled the fires, and confirmed a number of properties had been lost.

On Tuesday night, people in the area of the settlement were warned by the RFS they "should seek shelter if the fire impacts" and protect themselves from its heat.

While conditions eased overnight for Rural Fire Service crews, allowing them to backburn on the southern edge of the fire, the blaze continues to burn on multiple fronts.

Mr Rogers said fire crews were focused on containing those two major fires on Wednesday.

"Obviously we are working hard," he said.

Ms Kovacevic said conditions would remain difficult even as a change moves through on Wednesday evening.

"Later on this evening a trough will move through this area and bring cooler conditions as well as more humid easterly winds to those two fire grounds," she said.

"That should help to dampen fire behaviour."

Firefighters will be aided on Thursday by a significant drop in daytime temperatures, with a forecast for daytime highs in the mid-20s.

"It looks like a much cooler day for that region - north-eastern parts of NSW - with easterly winds again bringing in more humidity and once again decreasing fire activity for Thursday more broadly," Ms Kovacevic said.

At 7am on Wednesday, RFS crews were fighting 43 fires across the state. Nine fires were yet to be contained including a large bushfire north of Tenterfield, which has burnt 600 hectares of bush. The RFS warns a number of isolated properties in the area may come under threat.

Article courtesty of Nine and The Sydney Morning Herald
Written by By Rachel Clun and Jenny Noyes