HIGH winds and soaring temperatures have Rural Fire Service firefighters under the pump at a Barraba blaze.
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At least 30 crews have tried to control the fire overnight, forcing it behind containment lines.
Aircraft will be launched this morning to water bomb the blaze Tamworth Rural Fire Service manager Allyn Purkiss said.
“With the conditions we’ll be doing that all day to start suppressing any real bad hot spots to keep the fire as calm as possible,” he said.
“We do have 40 degree temperatures today, low humidity and strong winds from the north west – I can deal with the temperature but the wind is the one that gets us.”
The fire spreads across almost 370 hectares but does not currently pose a threat to property or lives.
Property owners on the Bonnay Linton Road have been warned about potential danger if the fire breaks its containment area Mr Purkiss said.
“The crews have done a fantastic job under trying conditions with even more trying conditions today,” he said.
“The fire put up a lot of smoke and took big runs, it was running uphill so that increased speed.
“Residents on the Bonnay Linton Road have been spoken to, we’ve done reconnaissance of those properties and our fire boss on the ground believes they’re all easily defendable with good asset protection zones so they should be quite safe.”
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The entire region is under a total fire ban today with all permits suspended, and Mr Purkiss reminds everyone that hot works like welding or grinding are also banned.
“We can’t stop people mowing or slashing, but on days like today it’s not the best and we hope common sense prevails,” he said.
For more updates on the location and status of the fire visit rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fires-near-me