Firefighters across New South Wales are set for a moderate Christmas, with cooler conditions to keep fire danger to a minimum.
Rain is forecast for coastal NSW north of Newcastle on Wednesday, while Sydney will have a 50 per cent chance of rain and a maximum of 26C. Easterly winds will also shift a lingering smoke haze away from the city.
Most of coastal NSW is under ‘low-moderate’ fire risk, while only one region – the northwestern region – is deemed at ‘very high’ risk.
Destruction: A koala with a CFS volunteer who was fighting the bushfire at a Lobethal vineyard
There are no total fire bans in place. The NSW government’s state of emergency, granting special powers to Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons, will expire on Wednesday night.
Almost 75 bush and grass fires were nevertheless burning on Tuesday night, including the Gospers Mountain mega-blaze northwest of Sydney, the Green Wattle Creek fire southwest of the city and the south coast’s Currowan fire. Some 28 fires were yet to be contained.
More than 2,000 firefighters will spend this week making crucial preparations before conditions deteriorate again across NSW, likely this weekend. Penrith, west of Sydney, will reach 37C on Saturday and 39C on Sunday.
However, the RFS isn’t expecting a repeat of the danger levels seen a few days ago, Mr Fitzsimmons told reporters on Tuesday.
‘We’re really trying to consolidate as much as we can, secure protection as best we can ahead of what’s expected to be hotter, drier and, this time, a bit more northerly in the winds,’ Mr Fitzsimmons said.
On Tuesday the areas of the Gospers Mountain mega-fire still burning west of Sydney and the Green Wattle Creek blaze in the Southern Highlands remained dry.
No rain was recorded in these areas on Tuesday and will see less than 1mm in the form of light showers on Christmas Day.
No rain is forecast for the coming days in Adelaide, where the Cudlee Creek bushfire that’s destroyed 86 homes in the Adelaide Hills continues to burn and remained at watch and act level on Tuesday night.
A property is lost as The Gospers Mountain Fire impacts, at Bilpin on Saturday, December 21
A fire ravages bushland at the side of the road near Mt Wilson in the Blue Mountains
At least 873 NSW homes have been destroyed this fire season, with teams still assessing properties believed lost in recent days.
Another 353 homes in NSW have been damaged.
A further 100 homes are also believed to have been lost since Thursday, but they’re still being assessed due to limited RFS access.
The federal government, meanwhile, has announced Commonwealth public service volunteers will get at least four weeks paid leave to fight bushfires under a plan to get more ‘boots on the ground’.
Mr Morrison also admitted a longer Australian fire season and overlapping periods of major fire danger for states may require policy change, but said ‘social media is not going to set government policy’.
A much needed downpour flooded the bowling greens at Armidale Bowling Club on Tuesday
‘Rain! Just about the best Christmas present country Australia could ask for right now,’ one person captioned this photo of Armidale
Meanwhile, Christmas came early for several regions ravaged by the worst drought in Australia’s history with significant rain falling over their parched lands.
Boonanghi National Park near Kempsey on the NSW mid north coast received the most rain across the state on Tuesday with 44mm, while Busbys Flat near Casino in northern NSW received 42.6mm.
Both areas have been ravaged by bushfires in recent months, which included the loss of 44 homes in Busbys Flat.
Residents in drought-stricken Armidale on the NSW Northern Tablelands are also rejoicing about the much-needed deluge that has soaked the town in recent days.
Armidale Airport has received 17.9mm of rain since 9am Tuesday morning on top of the 15mm on Monday.
The town is on the highest water restrictions as Malpas Dam catchment levels continue to dwindle.
Desperate farmers have been struggling for months in the face of the drought and are set to have their prayers answered on Christmas day