NEIGHBOURS banded together and took the clothes from their own back to help extinguish an out-of-control fire near Bathurst on Thursday.
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The fire ignited at 2pm off Ophir Road at Rock Forest with drought conditions and winds quickly spreading it across parched grasslands.
Fire and Rescue NSW Bathurst Station Officer Sandy Collins said people were "beating the fire out" as his crew arrived on scene.
READ MORE: What you should do in a fire emergency
"There were neighbours beating the fire out with sacks and one person was even doing it with his own shirt," he said.
"The neighbours quickly pulled together.
"It's very dry out there and the neighbours were shocked by how fast it [the fire] moved. They said they couldn't believe how fast it took off."
Station Officer Collins said the fire did not damage any structures or assets.
"It was paddocks an the verge of the road and a little bit of their garden on fire," he said.
"It burnt through trees and grasslands."
The incident prompted a multi-agency response with NSW Rural Fire Service crews from Rock Forest, Eglinton and Bathurst also called out.
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Nadine Morton
Nadine Morton covers emergency services and breaking news for the Illawarra Mercury. She takes pride in regional journalism which she believes is crucial to informing our towns and cities. Have a story? Email her at nadine.morton@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Nadine Morton covers emergency services and breaking news for the Illawarra Mercury. She takes pride in regional journalism which she believes is crucial to informing our towns and cities. Have a story? Email her at nadine.morton@austcommunitymedia.com.au
