#NSWfires, #bushfirecrisis: Conditions are serious, dangerous RFS Commissioner says

By early Tuesday afternoon there were more than 145 fires burning across the state with firefighters stretched as they fight to save lives and property.

Eight of these fires are burning at emergency warning level, these are all located in the south-east of NSW.

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Three people are missing feared dead in fires in the south of the state, which has occurred just one day after a volunteer firefighter died while battling a blaze.

NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said wind changes on Tuesday afternoon are creating additional threats for people living near fires.

"The southerly change is also starting to make its way through the southern areas of the state which is starting to turn these fires that are spreading in an easterly direction, or south-easterly direction, and it's starting to spread them in a northerly direction," he said.

"We are seeing with the volatility of the winds and the erratic nature of the winds, coupled with very limited visibility, that aircraft usage is proving to be very difficult and very limited across a number of firegrounds."

Commissioner Fitzsimmons said "we've still got many hours to go" as these strong winds make their way across NSW.

"We are going to see a combination of pretty strong and blustery south-easterly and southerly winds, turning south-westerly, further in across the ranges," he said.

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Commissioner Fitzsimmons urged people near existing fires to stay up-to-date on the Fires Near Me app or with any messages issued by emergency services.

"We've got very serious and very dangerous fire situations occurring right across different parts of NSW," he said.

See the NSW RFS Commissioners full video statement below.

A number of fires are burning across the Central West, they include:

Palmers Oaky fire

Gospers Mountain fire

Green Wattle Creek fire

Gross Valley fire

Ruined Castle fire

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