Photos show the devastation as fire burns out of control north of Hill End

The fire continues to burn through rural land at Tambaroora, near Hill End, and has already destroyed several homes and killed hundreds of sheep and cattle.

So far, more than 16,000 hectares of land has been burnt.

The photos below show the terrible scenes firefighters are being confronted with.

Residents in the area have been urged to evacuate, however, some have chosen to stay and defend their properties.

One resident, Jhob Drinkwater, described the scene as "like a movie".

"It's eerie, and the fire is just on a war path," he said.

Volunteer firefighters are working long days, some doing 14-hour shifts, to try to get the fire under control and extinguished altogether, but the unfavourable weather conditions are working against them.

John Fry, a volunteer with the Peel brigade of the NSW Rural Fire Service, said it could be a long time before the fire is out.

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