More than 100 firefighters have battled an out-of-control grassfire threatening a high school.
They are fighting to bring the blaze to a halt before a hot, windy day brings dangerous conditions to much of New South Wales.
The fire broke out on Tuesday morning at Beacon Hill, on Sydney’s northern beaches, with 115 firefighters using water tankers back-burning near houses in the area.
More than 100 firefighters (pictured) have battled an out-of-control grassfire threatening a high school
They are fighting to bring the blaze (pictured) to a halt before a hot, windy day brings dangerous conditions to much of New South Wales
The blaze came within range of homes and Oxford Falls Grammar School but, by mid afternoon on Tuesday, Rural Fire Service crews and water bombing aircraft were holding it at bay.
Total fire bans were issued that afternoon for the North coast, Greater Sydney, Greater Hunter and North Western regions.
The conditions which helped the Beacon Hill grassfire spread are only a prelude to what could be a far more dangerous Wednesday, an RFS spokesman told AAP.
‘(Those regions) have been issued with severe fire danger rating with forecast conditions of temperatures in the mid-30s and winds gusting up to 75km/h from the north west,’ the spokesman said.
The fire broke out on Tuesday morning at Beacon Hill, on Sydney’s northern beaches, with 115 firefighters (pictured) using water tankers back-burning near houses in the area
The blaze (pictured) came within range of homes and Oxford Falls Grammar School but, by mid afternoon on Tuesday, Rural Fire Service crews and water bombing aircraft were holding it at bay
The conditions which helped the Beacon Hill grassfire (pictured) spread are only a prelude to what could be a far more dangerous Wednesday
‘It could be a bad day – given the conditions we’ve had so far haven’t been close to that.’
A cool change will blow through from the south west by late afternoon but, with no rain forecast, it’s just another day closer to what’s expected to be a particularly dangerous fire season.
The state’s forests, including the Central and Great Dividing ranges and the entire eastern seaboard, are full of dry fuel, the spokesman said.
The fire (pictured) raged near home in the north of Sydney and even threatened a high school
Residents of nearby beachside suburbs posted photos of the smoke (pictured to social media
‘It won’t take much for a fire to start,’ he said.
‘Given conditions like tomorrow, they’ll be able to spread quickly, hot and fast.’
A number of areas in the state have already declared the danger period, but the rest of the state will be on alert after October 1, the official first day of bushfire season.
Local residents took to Instagram to share photos (pictured) of the smoke coming from the blaze
As the sun set on Tuesday afternoon smoke (pictured) could still be seen coming from the fire