Click or flick across for more photos from the fire.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
JINGELLIC Road at Wantagong is expected to re-open today.
Fire crews yesterday continued to monitor the site of a blaze that tore through 145 hectares of pine plantation east of Holbrook on Tuesday.
Several firefighters remained at the scene overnight after the blaze was declared under control late yesterday.
Jingellic Road remained closed yesterday to protect the public from the risk of falling trees.
NSW Rural Fire Service crews were also called to two grassfires — at Tocumwal and at the Albury tip.
Fallen power lines are believed to have caused the Wantagong fire.
Three helicopters, 25 tankers and more than 80 firefighters fought the blaze that started on Tuesday afternoon.
NSW Rural Fire Service’s Marg Wehner said fire crews had spent yesterday back-burning “very dry, very rugged country” and the fire remained contained.
Two heilcopters were used to “bomb” the blaze while, on the ground, crews worked to extend containment lines.
“The southern side is largely eucalypt forest, and very rugged country in that section,” Ms Wehner said.
“There’s a lot of hollow trees that could burn for days.
“The area is hard for firefighters to get into, so they’re working on the fire break itself.”
Ms Wehner said yesterday’s weather conditions had helped in getting the fire under control.
Despite the high temperature, the lack of wind was a godsend.
“Hot weather means fires get started quickly and things will burn easily, but when you put wind in the equation, that’s it,” she said.
“But our guys are in there and really have a crack; they’re working hard and they’re working hot.”
The fire burned close to three homes, but Ms Wehner said the only property lost had been a caravan.
She said the residents had been “very well prepared”.
Investigations are continuing into the suggestion that power lines were to blame for sparking the fire.
Ms Wehner said power had not been restored to the area.
She said the power had gone out before the fire was called in, which “usually indicates something fell on lines”.
RFS crews were called to the Albury tip fire about 1pm, with crews working until 5pm.