Seven helicopters, a big sky crane and four fixed-wing bombers were yesterday dumping water on the Redbank Fire south of Rockley, the Hell’s Hole Fire near the Abercrombie River in Copperhannia Nature Reserve and the Dog Rocks Fire near Mount Ryan.

The fires are all the result of lightning strikes on Saturday that caused blazes from Hill End to Burraga. 

The Rural Fire Service was yesterday keeping a close eye on the village of Trunkey because of serious concerns for the welfare of residents. 

Superintendent Tom Shirt from Chifley/Lithgow Rural Fire Service said a meeting was held in the village on Sunday night to make residents aware of the danger and discuss the risks if they choose not to relocate. 

A “Neighbourhood Safer Place of Last Resort”, where people are likely to survive in a severe bushfire, has been selected. 

He stressed this is not an evacuation centre, but somewhere to take shelter if it is too late to leave.

Supt Shirt said in the coming days they will know more about the threat to Trunkey. 

“The fire is six kilometres from the village. If it behaves erratically, or if there are spot fires, embers can travel a long way,” he said.

“Even the slightest change in wind direction can make a difference.

“Everyone in the area needs to have their Bushfire Survival Plans ready so when the alert comes, they are prepared and know whether they will stay and defend, or go.”

NSW Fire and Rescue also has an important role to play in hot fuelling the aircraft (where they are left running while they are fuelled).

The helicopters and aircraft are being refuelled at Black Springs, where an airbase has been set up. The giant sky crane, nicknamed “Ichabod”, is being refuelled at Bathurst Regional Airport.

Supt Shirt said the purpose of heavy water bombing is not to extinguish the fire, but to give the ground crews time to get in where they can do the hard work on the ground. 

Supt Shirt said the Dog Rocks Fire was the most active yesterday, however, none of the fires had yet been contained. 

A strike team was brought in from the Blue Mountains yesterday, and the RFS had requested additional strike teams from further afield. There were plans to set up a base camp at Perthville.

Yesterday there were 30 crew at Hell’s Hole and 70 crew at the Redbank fire.

Crews from all the firefighting agencies – National Parks, NSW Forestry and the RFS – were on the fireground.

“This is the biggest reponse we have seen for some time and it will carry on for some time,” Supt Shirt said.

He flew over the Dog Rocks fireground yesterday.

An amount of expensive machinery had already been lost, however, late yesterday afternoon the fire was not threatening homes. 

The RFS was continuing to monitor some isolated rural properties.

“The beauty of having so many aircraft is that we can respond very quickly,” Supt Shirt said.

He said all the firefighters on the ground were exhausted but okay, although one tanker received damage when a tree fell on it. 

Additional strike teams, the majority of which are likely to come from the metropolitan area, will give the local teams a rest, Supt Shirt said. 

“They have been on the fireground day and night since Saturday afternoon,” he said.

“Our volunteers have been doing a truly incredible job out there.”

In addition to the RFS headquarters in Lee Street, an emergency control centre for local emergency services, police, ambulance and council has been set up at Bathurst Police Station.

“We are throwing everything we have at these fires to get them under control,” Supt Shirt said.

Another fire was burning in the Winburndale Nature Reserve yesterday, but it was not causing undue concern. 

That fire was being fought by National Parks personnel.