'Be very vigilant': Homes destroyed as northern NSW fires rage on
Homes have been destroyed and more are under threat from an out-of-control bushfire in the state’s north.
An emergency warning remains in place for the large fire at Tingha, while the Tabulam fire flared up again overnight, Rural Fire Service Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said on Thursday morning.
"Whilst conditions have eased, the fire threat hasn't. People need to be very vigilant today," he told Nine News Sydney.
"Look after yourself, make sure you stay safe because the emergency hasn't passed."
The RFS said it could confirm six homes have been destroyed along with nine outbuildings in the Tingha fire. Five other homes and three more outbuildings have been damaged.
The RFS said those numbers could change as more assessments are carried out.
"That will be a problem again all day [on Thursday]," Mr Rogers said of the Tingha fire.
"The fire has gone right past the town and the wind change now is pushing that fire north. It is still causing problems."
As of 7am on Thursday, the RFS said 37 bush and grass fires were burning throughout NSW. 10 of those fires were yet to be contained.
The fire at the Bruxner Highway near Tabulam remains at the "watch and act" alert level, after conditions overnight fanned that blaze.
"That fire flared up overnight and threatened properties again," Mr Rogers said.
On Wednesday night, a woman was charged over the Tabulam fire, after she allegedly set fire to rubbish inside a large steel container in her backyard on Tuesday morning. That day there was a state-wide fire ban due to high temperatures and strong winds.
The fire, which was allegedly left unattended, quickly spread and on Wednesday an emergency warning was issued for the blaze. While it was downgraded to "watch and act" on Wednesday evening, police said up to seven homes may have been destroyed.
At Wallangarra, near Tenterfield, an out-of-control bushfire has burnt more than 15,000 hectares of land.
"[It] ran more than six kilometres in just over an hour - that fire continues to cause problems," the Deputy Commissioner said.
The RFS said the immediate threat of that fire had eased on Thursday morning, and it remains at a "watch and act" warning level.
While Mr Rogers said conditions have eased, fire crews had plenty of work to do before the weather heats up again on the weekend.
"Look, the weather conditions certainly have improved, but the fact is there is literally hundreds of kilometres of fire lines," he said.
"There is a lot of active fire and that is not going to be put out any time soon. It will take days and days for us to try and get containment."