Fires were threatening more homes in Blue Mountains villages on Saturday as the state faced more hot weather forecasts and residents from devastated towns came to terms with the loss of more than 200 houses.
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As blazes raged for a third day, fires near Springwood and the Bells Line of Road were set to emergency status early on Saturday, but later downgraded to watch and act. Houses came under threat in Bell, Dargan, Berambing and Bilpin.
Rural Fire Service deputy commissioner Rob Rogers told residents in the villages on Saturday afternoon that it was too late to leave their properties and they should take shelter as the firefront approached.
''This fire is by no means contained. It's got absolutely kilometres and kilometres of fire front,'' he said.
Evacuation centres are still open at the Lithgow Workers Club and Springwood Sports Centre.
The Department of Defence was forced to concede on Saturday that it might have been responsible for starting the blaze. Defence has confirmed it is exploring the circumstances of the State Mine Fire near Lithgow, which has destroyed more than 30,000 hectares.
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The fire started on October 16, the same day Defence personnel held an explosive ordnance training activity at the Marangaroo Training Area. Defence said on Saturday it was investigating whether the two events were "linked".
"The primary concern at this stage is for the safety of the communities in the vicinity of the fire, then the ongoing investigation which will review both the incident and Defence procedures," the statement said. "Our thoughts are with those who have lost property or whose property is threatened by these devastating fires."
Defence said it will work with the NSW Rural Fire Service to investigate both the incident and its own procedures, once the fire is extinguished. Detective Superintendent Ian McNab, Commander of Strike Force Tronto, which investigates arson related incidents, said the fire was not being treated as suspicious.
Fairfax Media has also established a power line that caused a fire that burnt more than 200 homes in Springwood, Winmalee and Yellow Rock had been the subject of warnings from the local power company. NSW RFS has since confirmed this to be the case.
Firefighters had earlier hoped for respite from the bushfires that have flamed across NSW. Cooler, calmer conditions on Saturday morning delivered what the RFS called a "pause" in the fight against the 83 fires burning across NSW, including 19 uncontained blazes.
RFS deputy commissioner Rob Rogers said it will likely warm up on Sunday and winds could strengthen on Monday. Earlier forecasts of widespread rain as early as Monday have been pushed back to later in the week.
"In the absence of rain, these fires will just keep burning and they're just going to run hard," Mr Rogers said.
Bushfires have devastated communities in the Blue Mountains. The RFS said on Saturday that 193 homes had been destroyed and another 109 damaged in the Springwood and Winmalee areas. That number could change following more investigations.
Mr Rogers said it was particularly difficult for firefighters working in their home area. "There's a sense of failure when they lose homes because their mantra is to try and protect people and their homes," he said.
The full emergency alert from the Rural Fire Service can be read here.
