NSW firefighters brace for bad conditions again in South Coast fire
South Coast residents are expected to face tough conditions again on Friday as firefighters continue to battle the raging Currowan bushfire.
An emergency warning was downgraded to watch and act level on Friday morning after strong winds impacted the path of the fire.
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On Thursday, the fire hit the township of Bawley Point and was heading towards the Lake Tabourie area. Fire activity remained in the areas of Kiola, Pretty Beach, Pebbly Beach, Depot Beach and Durras North.
The RFS said a number of properties had been destroyed during the blaze but could not confirm where or how many homes had been lost.
NSW RFS spokesman Greg Allan said the conditions for firefighters on Friday would be just like they faced on Thursday.
"Similar if not worse, from the Illawara to Shoalhaven through to the east of Sydney there is a severe fire danger," he said.
"[The fire] has hit the coast in most areas ... it can only go north or south from here."
Paul Byrnes and Leslee Bradley faced the day on Thursday they'd prepared for since moving to their Termeil bush property 14 years ago.
They knew the risk of bushfire when they got there, and had readied their home for the worst.
"It's the biggest plan since I moved here, because it's going to happen," Mr Byrnes said. "If you want to live in the bush, this is what you've got to do.
Paul Byrnes attempts to control the direction of fire burning trees on his Termeil property on Thursday morning in anticipation of strong winds in the afternoon. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong
"We knew it would happen one day, but it hasn't in the 14 years we've lived here."
Thursday was meant to be an easy day for them and they'd expected fire on their land to be out.
Instead the couple was confronted with a forecast for a late southerly wind that threatened to push fire up a hill and towards their property.
"You think it's out but it just flares up," Ms Bradley said.
"Going up the hill, that's when it has full force."
Their neighbour, Termeil apiarist Ian Lees, used a bulldozer to create containment lines while Mr Byrnes and his partner Ms Bradley kept the fire on their land contained.
They let fire burn fuel that could have intensified fire with the southerly wind.
The blaze had lingered in the area for days, threatening to flare up when conditions deteriorated. Some of the logs caught by fire would burn for days.
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"At 3am you go up to the top of the ridge to have a look, and it's like a monster," Mr Byrnes said.
Trees falling in flames made loud cracking noises nearby.
"That's a big one," Mr Byrnes said as one fell in the distance.
"You hear that all night."
The couple had set up protection zones long before the fire reached Termeil.
Another neighbour wanted to get to their property from Sydney and protect it, but couldn't get into Termeil after the Currowan fire closed Princes Highway.
While Ian Lees' hives were intact on his Termeil property, he hadn't seen if others he had at Kioloa survived fire.
Mr Lees, his wife Linda and their neighbours contained the fire on Thursday morning as firefighters moved to Willinga Park to fight a blaze at the property.
"We're on our own here for a while," Ms Lees said.