Severe storms with potentially damaging winds could fan bushfires raging across NSW as a cold front brings an end to heatwave conditions along the state’s coast.
Firefighters are battling more than 70 blazes across the state, 20 of which are uncontained.
A fire at Redhead just south of Newcastle is at Watch and Act level, after being downgraded from Emergency level overnight.
However, the Rural Fire Service said the wind could push that fire north towards the suburbs of Dudley, Whitebridge and Gateshead.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s (BOM) senior meteorologist Dean Narramore said the coast is expecting a gusty southerly change.
“[We’re] likely to see quick temperature drops as well behind that, and then once it gets to around the Newcastle area we’re going to probably start to see severe thunderstorms developing with that change as well, particularly for north-east NSW,” he said.
The cold front is expected to bring north-westerly winds, showers and thunderstorms, which could incite damaging winds, according to the BOM.
Twelve homes were destroyed in the fire at Koolewong. (ABC News)
‘We’ve lost everything’
At Koolewong, where 12 houses were destroyed, the Chinook helicopter, 50 fire trucks and 250 firefighters remained at the Central Coast fireground, which was described as “devastating”.
The fire, which had started in a park area at about 12.40pm and spiralled out of control quickly moved from advice level to emergency level, and was back at a Watch and Act alert by 8pm.
It is yet to be controlled.
One of the homes lost was Tony and Claudia Stellino’s, which they had lived in for 18 years on Johns Road.
Only the cars were spared.
“My heart hurts,” Ms Stellino said.
“All the memories — we’ve lost everything,” Mr Stellino said.
Tony and Claudia Stellino, who have lost their home of 18 years, meet with Chris Minns at Gosford. (ABC News: Emma Simkin)
He was about to go for a swim in the pool when he realised how serious the situation was and had to leave within 15 minutes.
Mr Stellino said they would be taking it “a day at a time” until they could work out what they were going to do.
NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Trent Curtin said the fire “moved very, very quickly into properties”.
“We issued a watch and act and then it escalated very quickly to an emergency warning, and notified people by landline and by text message to warn them of that fire.”
The steep terrain, winds and the limited access to where the blaze took hold meant access to the area was limited, allowing the fire to spread.
The steep terrain at Koolewong limited accessibility by fire crews. (ABC News)
“At one stage through the course of the afternoon [yesterday], we actually had the RFS boat providing access to fire and rescue firefighters from the water to some of the properties involved, as that was the only way to access those properties,” Commissioner Curtin said.
He said it was unknown what caused the fire but investigators were due to take a look.
At a press conference at Gosford on the central coast, NSW Premier Chris Minns urged the community to stay safe.
“There has been rainfall overnight but there’s also been a change in winds and we’re asking people to be careful if they’re in a community that’s been hit hard by bushfires,” he said.Â
“There might be debris on the road it might be unsafe driving conditions so please listen to the police and RFS.”
RFS Deputy Commissioner Ben Millington said there were still power outages in some areas around Koolewong, which they were working with energy providers and the local council to fix.
“There’s an exclusion zone in place and we’re asking people to remain clear of that area so that firefighters can continue to work uninterrupted,” he said.
Gosford RSL was set up as an evacuation centre, with about 60 people making use of the facility, while other residents relocated to other areas.
Loading…’It was just orange and black’
Inland at Bulahdelah, four homes were destroyed in the Crawford River area in the fire that started on Thursday on both sides of the Pacific Highway and closed the M1.
By Saturday evening it had burnt more than 2,800 hectares, it was still burning but at a watch and act level.
The fire at Bulahdelah had burnt more than 2,800 hectares by Saturday evening. (ABC News)
Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell said firefighters had worked hard to contain the fire on Saturday, helped by a number of resources being sent to the area, including the Chinook helicopter and other air tankers.
The result, he said, had been much better than expected.
Local Nassim “Norm” Daghel went from one second thinking he was “fine” to being forced to leave his property the next when he realised the fire “was right on us”.
“It was just orange and black, it was all we could see,” Mr Daghel said.
“As soon as I saw the fire coming through here, I said ‘We’ve got to go’ and that was it.
Nassim Daghel thanked firefighters for their “amazing job”. (ABC News)
“We just gunned it up the street, there was fire on both ends of the road which is pretty intense.
“And then spent the rest of the afternoon freaking out wondering whether or not we were going to come back to a house.”
He returned to find extensive damage around the perimeter of his property but his house intact.
The fire at Bulahdelah started on Thursday and had burnt more than 2,500 hectares by Saturday. NSWRFS confirmed that up to four homes had been lost  in the Crawford River area. ABC News ( ABC News)
“Thank God for the firies, they did an amazing job,” he said.
“There is no damage to the house at all … it’s just filled with smoke, we have no power, the trees survived, all the animals are alive.
“We’re really blessed at this point.”
Government assistance
The federal and state governments have activated disaster payments for the Central Coast, Mid Coast, Upper Hunter, Muswellbrook, Warrumbungle and Dubbo, so people can apply for immediate help.
The grants will help residents access emergency accommodation and essential items, and provide loans for small businesses and primary producers.
The NSW premier is in Gosford today meeting with fire-affected residents.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has thanked emergency services and volunteers.
He said the federal government stood ready to assist people in NSW impacted by this weekend’s fires.