Fire crews respond to grass fire on Hume Highway near Goulburn

All lanes of the Hume Highway on the Goulburn bypass have been re-opened following an earlier fire, the Transport Management Centre has advised.

Police have also re-opened Windellama Road and Rifle Range Road.

RFS operational officer, Mitchell Butler, said crews were mopping up and some many were leaving the scene. The area burnt is being assessed.

The fire, which started in the Hume Highway's median strip, prompted a strong response. The RFS had 22 crews, comprising 66 personnel on site while NSW Fire and Rescue Goulburn unit had two crews, a duty commander and a tanker there.

Mr Butler said the outbreak posed several challenges.

"There was a wet area (off Windellama Road) that our trucks couldn't drive on due to the risk of bogging," he said.

Traffic and a lack of water to fight the fire also posed challenges.

Two bulk water tankers, including Divall's and an RFS one from Crookwell, assisted crews.

Update: 3.10pm

The fire has been contained and crews are dousing the remaining fire on the western side of the Hume Highway off Windellama Road.

NSW Fire and Rescue Goulburn captain Chris Corcoran said it had started in the median strip near the Windellama Rod crossover.

It had spread out to grassland on both aspects of the eastern side of the highway and had also gone underneath a bypass bridge to the other side.

Crews stopped it from jumping from Windellama Road to the eastern side in one area, but it spread out to Phalaris grass.

Divall's Earthmoving and Bulk Haulage director and firefighter Andy Divall arrived with a 25000 litre bulk water tanker to help RFS crews.

Two northbound lanes of the Hume Highway remain closed on the Goulburn bypass, but both southbound lanes are open.

Windellama Road remains closed in both directions between Memorial Road and Brisbane Grove Road.

Police have also closed Rifle Range Road, off Windellama Road.

Update: 2.20pm

The fire is now spreading towards Goulburn and firies are undergoing property protection on a house just off Windellama Road.

NSW Fire and Rescue Goulburn captain Chris Corcoran said the fire was between six and eight hectares.

"It is on both sides of the highway and on the south side, it is 250m away from a house," he said.

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One of the challenges on the eastern side of the highway, is that there is an area of long grass which RFS crews are trying to get around.

RFS Southern Tablelands operational officer, Mitchell Butler said crews were getting a bulk water carrier from a local earth moving contractor to help with containment.

There are 66 firefighters on scene from Crookwell, Goulburn, Gundary, Middlearm, Parkesbourne, Pomeroy, Tarlo and Towrang RFS as well two group officers from the Goulburn.

Resident Trent Douglass watched on as NSW Fire and Rescue undertook property protection near his home.

He said he was not too worried and felt the firies had it under control.

He also put sprinklers up around his home and is clearing up any loose leaf litter.

To keep updated, go to https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fires-near-me.

Earlier: 1.30pm

Police have closed the Hume Highway at Goulburn due to a grass fire.

A fire broke out at 12.45pm Sunday on the Goulburn bypass, near the cross of Windellama Road.

Butler said two northbound lanes and one southbound lane are closed.

At 1.15pm the outbreak had burnt a 400 metre by 50 metre area on the south side of the northbound lane. Crews are tackling a 100 metre area in the median strip.

Eight RFS crews and NSW Fire and Rescue have responded, with more enroute.

People are asked to avoid the area and to expect travel delays.

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