Currowan fire sends RFS scrambling at Nerriga

Some residents took shelter at the Nerriga pub while those in outlying areas went into property protection mode.

RFS spokesman Richard Thorek told The Canberra Times just after 7pm Saturday that the fire had moved past the town.

The heritage museum, township homes and critical infrastructure were saved.

RFS Southern Tablelands zone operations officer Lachlan Gilchrist said two Windellama crews assisted Lake George zone throughout the night. They worked mainly around the town and along Nerriga Road.

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On Sunday, a strike team was sent to help out.

"It would appear some property has been lost but we are still attempting to assess the extent," he said.

"It's a very dynamic situation because the fire is still very active and crews are focused on property protection and keeping people safe. It remains a concern."

Mr Gilchrist said with a south south-easterly wind blowing in from the coast, the fire could burn for weeks in the area.

"It is linking up with the Tianjara fire to the north, which is a very significant blaze burning more to the north and northwest. There is a lot of national park around there and if it reaches there, we won't get to it from a resources perspective," he said.

The Currowan blaze, which started in the Shoalhaven, had burnt 146,115ha by Sunday morning, while Tianjara had ripped through 21,453ha. Both have been downgraded to advice level.

Lake George and ACT firefighters are also defending the Currowan outbreak.

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The Braidwood Road/ Nerriga Road between Albatross Road and Stewarts Crossing remains closed.

Windellama RFS member Tom Shannon, who helped Saturday night's effort, said he saw two houses burning from the road.

"There were several sheds and cars destroyed and there were also reports a shedful of hay was lost. I imagine there were more out in the bush," he said.

Mr Shannon said the fire activity was 'okay' for the first few hours he was there but it picked up considerably with a wind change and hot embers dropping.

"There were dozers doing containment lines around the town so were mainly putting out spot fires," he said.

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Meantime, Mr Gilchrist said Sunday's cooler conditions would be critical for backburning and containment of both the Currowan and Green Wattle Creek fires. The latter, which started in Wollondilly Shire, had burnt 192,660ha by midday Sunday. Some of the backburning will occur nothwest of Wombeyan Caves around the Maneveland fire trail.

"We are really hoping to take the first steps toward containment for the first time in several days," Mr Gilchrist said.

Meantime, a thick smoke haze is still enveloping Goulburn after blowing in from the Currowan and Tianjara fires on Saturday night.

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The air quality index is sitting on 940, according to Department of Planning, Industry and Environment data from the Goulburn station. Anything above 200 is considered hazardous.