PHOTOS, UPDATES: Bushfire threat 'as bad as it gets'

The Sydney and Hunter regions face extreme fire danger on Wednesday as high temperatures and strong winds increase the risk from major blazes.

Sydney can now expect 35 degrees, up from an earlier forecast for 32 degrees. Newcastle can expect 36 degrees.

A severe fire danger alert has also been declared for the North Coast of the state, the bureau said in a Fire Weather Warning posted on its website.

“It will be dry, hot and windy throughout the day,” said Sean Carson, a senior meteorologist with the Bureau of Meteorology. “There will only be gradual relief arriving in the evening.”

Sunnier-than-expected conditions and lower humidity prompted the increased temperature forecast, Mr Carson said.

Winds, though, may pose the main threat for fire fighters, with winds averaging about 50 km/h over the fire regions in the mountains.

The strongest winds may be between mid-morning and mid-afternoon, just as temperatures start to spike ahead of a front moving through the state, he said.

Brett Dutschke, a senior meteorologist at Weatherzone, said winds may peak on Wednesday of 90-100 km/h as they shift from the north-west to west.

Many suburbs of Sydney will see gusts of 60-80 km/h, he said. ‘‘Even as late as midnight, the wind could still be blowing as strong as 30 km/h and getting the occasional 50 km/h gusts."

Thunderstorms late on Tuesday may add to fire dangers ahead of Wednesday’s return to hot, windy weather.

Dr Dutschke estimates there is a 30-40 per cent chance of thunderstorms over the fire-hit regions on Tuesday evening. While rain will be patchy, some areas could get as much as 20 millimetres, potentially helping fire-fighting efforts.

UPDATE: 4.50PM:

NSW Rural Fire Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons has held his latest briefing and he has already issued this grim warning.

"The forecast and scenario for tomorrow is about as bad as it gets," he says.

The revised forecast is for temperatures in the mid to high 30s, with humidity down to 10 per cent.

Strong winds are forecast with gusts of between 80km/h to 100km/h.

He's urged everyone who does not need to be in the Blue Mountains on Wednesday to be out of the region by 10am. 

UPDATE 4.40PM:

Springwood nursing home residents are in the process of being evacuated to hospitals and aged care facilities in western Sydney.

Endeavour nursing home managing director Gary Barnier said all families would be contacted once their loved ones had arrived at their destination.

Earlier on Tuesday 55 residents who lived in assisted living units on Hawkesbury Road were evacuated and taken by bus to Rooty Hill. They would spend the night at the Novotel.

Another 63 nursing home residents were being moved with the help of the Ambulance Service of NSW to five other nursing homes owned by the Domain Principal Group.Others would be moved to Campbelltown and Liverpool hospitals. 

"It's well under control, it's all very calm," Mr Barnier said.

UPDATE 3PM:

UPDATE 2.30PM:

NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons says the latest forecast for Wednesday is more alarming than what had already been expected.

In his 2pm update, he said the latest update he received just five minutes ago is for tomorrow to be even "drier and hotter" than what had been previously forecast.

"The conditions are forecast to be worse tomorrow than what we have been talking about for the last few days," he said.

All schools in the Blue Mountains  will be closed on Wednesday. Nursing home patients in Springwood are currently being relocated.

He says the entire fire situation in the Blue Mountains remains a "volatile and dynamic operation" for his crews. No one should be fooled by cooler conditions today about the risks ahead.

"We need to be really clear here, we cannot afford for complacency .. this cool change which has moved in is not what we need to be concerned about," Mr Fitzsimmons said.

"We need to be focused on what is expected to come tomorrow.

"It's going to be a difficult and challenging day."

UPDATE 1.30PM:

The 11-year-old boy charged with lighting two fires, including the 5000 hectare Heatherbrae blaze at Port Stephens has pleaded not guilty, Stephen Ryan from The Newcastle Herald reports.

He has been granted strict conditional bail and will be under house arrest with his mum.

UPDATE 1PM:

"It's been a race against the clock," said an RFS spokesman, Joel Kursawe.

The rush is to ensure authorities and communities are as prepared as possible before the advent of deteriorating fire conditions expected on Wednesday.

Westerlies are likely to range from 35-50 km/h during tomorrow, with gusts up to 90 km/h, Mr Kursawe said, citing the latest information.

Some 750 firefighters are active in the field today, with 90 aircraft deployed or on standby.About 250 firies from inter-state have arrived, with the number to swell to 750 by the day's end.

Victorians lead the tally, with 370 expected, and 200 from SA, with the ACT supplying about 50.

At 12:45 today - we have 60 bushfires burning across NSW, 15 of which remain uncontained.

No emergency warnings are in place however four major fires are burning at the second highest alert level of watch and act.

They are the fires that started near Lithgow and is now burning in on the western side of the Blue Mountains with the Mount Victoria fire. The Springwood fire is burning to the east of those fires and the Balmoral village fire is still under watch and act in the Southern Highlands.

Peter Hannam reports the RFS says there are reports of light showers in Lithgow and in the Blue Mountains but it is "just a spattering".

Fire fighters in NSW are currently being assisted by 250 who have come in from interstate and that number will triple by the end of the day.

There are 90 aircraft either deployed, or on standby, for the fire effort.

UPDATE 12.30PM:

For residents of the Blue Mountains, there are a number of community meetings tonight.

Katoomba and Leura: 5.30pm at Katoomba Christian Convention Centre at Cliff Drive, Katoomba

Warrimoo and Sun Valley: 7.30pm at Warrimoo Citizens Hall, Great Western Highway 

Blaxland, Mount Riverview and Glenbrook: 7.30pm at Blaxland High School, 3-9 Coughlan Rd, Blaxland.

Meanwhile, The Disaster Recovery Allowance just announced will provide fortnightly income assistance to the maximum rate under Newstart for up to 13 weeks.

It is available only to people who have lost income as a result of the bushfires.

UPDATE 11:50am: 

Firefighters from interstate will back up hundreds of NSW colleagues who are heading out to help rural crews.

Up to 170 NSW Fire and Rescue tankers and engines with almost 800 officers are being sent to fire-ravaged communities in the Blue Mountains on Tuesday.

Ten crews from Queensland and 10 from Melbourne will arrive in Sydney tomorrow to man metropolitan posts.

It’s one of the largest mobilisations in the history of Fire and Rescue NSW.

UPDATE 11AM:

We shouldn’t get too excited about reports of rain in the Blue Mountains.

‘‘It’s a quite minimal amount,’’ a Bureau of Meteorology spokeswoman told AAP. ‘‘We’re not expecting significant rain, unless we’re very lucky."

A possible thunderstorm in the afternoon could also pose more problems for firefighters if lightning sparks further blazes.

UPDATE 10:30AM:

Police are warning of asbestos hazards in buildings destroyed by fires.

If your home or your neighbour’s home was constructed before 1987 then it can potentially have asbestos containing materials.

You should take the following precautions:

*Check with emergency services it is safe to re-enter your property

*Houses with asbestos debris should be assessed by a licensed Asbestos Assessor

*A type "P2" dust mask and disposable coveralls should be worn where asbestos may be disturbed

You can get more information at the EPA's website.

UPDATE 10AM:

Milder than expected weather conditions are helping firefighters gain greater control over blazes in the Blue Mountains today.

All four major bushfires in NSW - Lithgow, Springwood and Mount Victoria in the Blue Mountains and Hall Road in the Southern Highlands - are currently at Watch and Act warning levels.

Meantime the devastating Ruttleys Road fire which tore through the Lake Macquarie area last week has had one positive impact, with tourist numbers to the Big Prawn rising dramatically, the Newcastle Herald reports.

“More than 2000 cars have stopped here since the fire,” said Ken Silverside, who is leading a clean-up of the site.

Many people who stopped took photographs of the damage and the enduring prawn.

One couple used Skype on a smartphone to show the damage to friends overseas.

Mr Silverside, who formerly owned the site, said it would be restored.

“It’ll be rebuilt in three months,” he said confidently.

“It’ll be back bigger than it ever was.”