A woman has been charged with lighting a fire that destroyed homes in northern NSW as residents continue to battle multiple erratic bushfires into the night.
The 40-year-old woman was charged on Wednesday night for allegedly lighting rubbish on fire in a steel drum in her shopping backyard near Tabulam in the state’s north on Tuesday morning.
The fire was allegedly left unattended in the middle of a total fire ban and rapidly spread to nearby bushland behind her home as she tried unsuccessfully to extinguish the flames.
A Tabulam woman has been charged with allegedly lighting a fire, where homes continues to be under threat by an out of control bushfire. Pictured is the scene from Inverell Airport
The fire incinerated almost 3000 hectares of land and forced the evacuation of the Jubullum Aboriginal area before destroying at least three houses.
The woman was charged with intentionally causing a fire and being reckless to its spread and setting fire during total fire ban.
She will appear in Casino Local Court on February 27.
A statewide fire ban remains in place across NSW as separate bushfires burn out of control in Tabulam and Tingha, located three hours away on the Northern Tablelands.
At 9pm on Wednesday night, the NSW Rural Fire Service reported 40 bush and grass fires burning across NSW, with nine yet to be contained as 450 firefighters across NSW
Firefighting crews across northern crews have spent the last two days battling bushfires
Emergency warnings are in place for Tingah Plateau (Inverell) and Wallangarra (Tenterfield), along with a fire on the Bruxner Highway west of Tabulam, where those around the Sugarbag Road area have being told it is ‘too late to leave’.
‘A change has affected the fireground and the fire is now travelling in a north-westerly direction towards Sugarbag Road,’ the NSW RFS states.
‘If you are in Sugarbag Road, seek shelter if the fire impacts your property or location.’
The RFS forecast a long night ahead for hundreds of firefighters working to protect properties and communities.
Crews are also struggling to control a blaze Tingha, which has burnt more than 12400 hectares, crossed Howell Road and surrounded the tiny town, forcing evacuations.
Resident Paul Schuman was at an intersection on the road when the flames surged towards him.
‘I said, “We gotta go; they’re leaping, creating their own wind”,’ he told AAP.
Mr Schuman retreated to his home where he heard explosions in the distance.
‘There’s a wrecking yard up the road with a bunch of cars and we heard some fuel in the tanks or something going off,’ he said.
‘A few hundred of them. Bang, bang, bang.’
This former school was gutted by devstating bushfires in Tabulam in northern NSW
Tingha photographer Brayden Vickery evacuated to his parent’s amusement park property, Green Valley Farm.
He hopes to defend it as a southerly change moves through the area, making the fire fronts behave erratically into the night.
‘There are three separate heads on the fire and they’re coming from different directions,’ he said.
‘One is coming up the creek and we’re right in its path.’
The property is known locally, Mr Vickery said, ‘as Disneyland of the bush’.
‘Our grandparents started it so there’s a lot at stake,’ he said.
‘These are images of Gilgai this evening,’ Inverell Council posted on Wednesday night
Mr Vickery began saying conditions could deteriorate overnight, but the fire cut the phone line mid-sentence.
At least five homes have already been destroyed in the Tabulam bushfires that ‘took off like a freight train’ during Tuesday’s intense heat and strong winds that have so far destroyed nearly 4,000 hectares of land.
One man took to Twitter to post a photo of the devastating damage to his mate’s property on Wednesday morning.
‘He was lucky, within 15 minutes, he lost three sheds, all water tanks and his home’s AC units, he fled with his wife and two kids after releasing his livestock to safety,’ the man posted.
Bushfires near Tingha has scorched more than 12,000 hectares of land and cut power to almost 1000 homes and businesses in the region, which will remain without power until Thursday morning.
‘The extent of the new damage is not fully known so no estimated restoration times can be provided at this time, Inverell Council posted on Facebook.
One Tabulum family lost three sheds and water tanks within the space of 15 minutes
Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall paid tribute to firefighters.
‘With extremely hot and gusty conditions, the fire is still burning out of control in the Tingha, Old Mill and Stanborough area. The fire has now burnt out more than 12,000 hectares and travelled about 40km today so far (Wednesday),’ he wrote.
‘More properties and structures were lost today, but everyone is ok and many more were saved.’
Sydney author James Fry took to Twitter to send out his thoughts to the Tingha community.
‘Just a couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of visiting this community as the Australia Day Ambassador for Inverell Council. Please send them all the love you can … and of cause any practical assistance you might be able to offer too,’ he tweeted.
The Public Information and Inquiry Centre was opened on Wednesday night to assist members of the public in relation to bushfires devastating northern NSW.
These are scenes in Gilgai on Wednesday night, near Tingha in the NSW Northern Tablelands
‘More properties and structures were lost today, but everyone is OK and many more were saved,’ Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall posted on Facebook
‘Members of the public are reminded to delay all non-essential travel in fire affected areas to assist emergency services,’ a NSW Police statement read.
‘Avoid dangers such as damaged powerlines and the possibility of asbestos in fire-damaged properties.’
The state government also announced on Wednesday night that affected residents, farmers and communities impacted by bushfires can now access disaster assistance.
The mayors of Kyogle and Tenterfield Councils have been in contact to discuss the emergency and how they can work together to help affected communities recover.
Firefighters will welcome more favourable conditions forecast for Thursday.
Nine blazes across NSW remained out of control on Wednesday night, according to the RFS
Bushfires near Tingha (pictured) has scorched more than 12,000 hectares of land
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