Firefighters are being confronted with intense heat and flames as they try to get control of a bushfire in NSW's Central West that has grown to more than 7000 hectares since it began on March 5.
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Volunteer firefighter with the Peel brigade of the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS), John Fry, has been on the ground at Tambaroora, north of Hill End, battling the blaze.
He is relatively new to firefighting and this is his first hands-on experience with a large-scale fire.
What he, and other firies, have seen in the last few days has been quite confronting.
"I did the training at the RFS at Kelso, which was very comprehensive, but it doesn't prepare you for when you hit the ground," Mr Fry said.
Firefighters are working long, hard days to try to get the upper hand, with Mr Fry saying his first stint on the fireground lasted 14 hours.
When he got home, he said he was very glad the day was over.
"I think we're very lucky it wasn't a much hotter day, otherwise I would have been totally exhausted," he said.
What is making the situation challenging, he said, is the windy conditions that are spreading the flames further.
"The wind is the main problem," Mr Fry said.
"It's that wind coming from the west that's really getting behind the flames and the flare-ups just keep happening.
"It might die down, and then it will flare up again. While this wind persists, there's no way of stopping this fire."
Firefighters are working in groups, and there are teams present from not just the Bathurst region, but beyond towards the Blue Mountains.
"There's a lot of crews coming in and rotating through the fire field, and there's dozens and dozens of firetrucks with crews rotating through the system," Mr Fry said.
They are also being assisted by multiple aircraft, which are relaying vital intelligence to the incident management teams working in Fire Control Centres, while also combatting the fires from above.
Mr Fry said it has been a collaborative effort and everyone is working extremely hard.
Firefighters on the ground, who are usually just a few metres away from the flames, have also been kitted out in extensive personal protection equipment.
The gear is helping them to stay safe while trying to extinguish the blaze, however, it remains a stressful situation.
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"It's sort of stressful because, it's not just having to fight the fire, but it's also not knowing what could change," Mr Fry said.
"The wind direction in those gullies could change in a minute and then suddenly the fire is over the top of you, so it's very unpredictable."
Mr Fry plans to do a couple more shifts on the fireground this week, but admits a lot more time could pass before the fire is out, given its size and the weather.
The NSW RFS has advised people to monitor the situation closely using the Hazards Near Me App or online at Fires Near Me.
At this stage, the safest option for people living in the area is to evacuate.
Three evacuation centres are open to those leaving their homes to avoid getting caught in the fire - one in Bathurst and two in Mudgee.
An evacuation centre has been established downstairs in the Bathurst Regional Council Chambers on Russell Street, and Club Mudgee, located at 99 Mortimer Street, is also accepting people who have been displaced by the fire.
The Mudgee Showgrounds is acting as a refuge for stock.
Rachel Chamberlain
I have been a journalist at the Western Advocate since 2014.
I have been a journalist at the Western Advocate since 2014.
