Homes destroyed as raging bushfires which 'took off like a freight train' ravage New South Wales as hundreds of firefighters combat the flames
- Five homes have been destroyed in an out-of-control bushfire in Tabulam, NSW
- A blaze had scorched nearly 4,000 of hectares of land on Tuesday evening
- Another fire in Tingha, three hours from Tabulam, scorched 5,600 hectares
- About 200 firefighters and water-bombing aircraft battled the two bushfires
Five homes have been destroyed in a bushfire that 'took off like a freight train' and has so far destroyed nearly 4,000 hectares of land in northern New South Wales.
The blaze swept through Tabulam, inland from Byron Bay, as a series of bushfires broke out during intense heat on Tuesday, fanned by strong winds.
Another fire near Tingha, three hours from Tabulam, scorched more than 5,600 hectares of land.
Five homes have been destroyed in a bushfire that 'took off like a freight train' and has so far destroyed nearly 4,000 hectares of land in northern New South Wales
The blaze swept through Tabulam, inland from Byron Bay, as a series of bushfires broke out during intense heat on Tuesday, fanned by strong winds
New South Wales police confirmed at least five houses were lost on Wednesday morning and a total fire ban remained in place.
Inspector Ben Shepherd from the Rural Fire Service (RFS) said there were more than 400 firefighters battling 40 fires across New South Wales.
The two out-of-control fires in the state's north-east were being fought by about 100 firefighters each.
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Firefighters and water-bombing aircraft were unable to get control of the massive fire as the region was swept with extreme heat and fierce windy conditions, with Tabulam being one of the most affected areas.
Veteran firefighter John Davis was forced to use his experience to save his own home during yesterday's emergency.
'I've been in some pretty big fires but when it comes to your own, it's a different story,' the 72-year-old told the ABC.
'It took off like a freight train. It was roaring and suddenly it was on top of us.'
Another fire near Tingha, three hours from Tabulam, scorched more than 5,600 hectares of land
Few residents were allowed to return to their homes on Tuesday night but were warned about the need to be mindful about monitoring conditions
The second blaze near Tingha, which has a population of 800, was downgraded overnight to 'watch and act' before thousands of hectares of land were wiped out.
Several public schools were closed on Wednesday, including Gilgai Public School, Tingha Public School, Bundarra Central Public School and Kingstown Public School.
Conditions had eased across both fire sites.
Few residents were allowed to return to their homes on Tuesday night but were warned about the need to be mindful about monitoring conditions.
