Barraba blaze doubles in size overnight with numerous other fires burning in the north west

Crews were called to a hay stack fire at the Bective Feedlot just after 4pm on Tuesday where 100 bales were well alight.

It took four hours to control the blaze, with feedlot employees desperately trying to pull apart and save sections of the hay.

“Lightning definitely poses a threat, it’s very dry out there with no ground moisture so we’re back where we were,” Tamworth RFS superintendent Allyn Purkiss said.

“Any storm activity without substantial rain will be a real issue for us, unless rain comes this way we’re still battling on.”

Fires continue to destroy bushland at Barraba and Tenterfield, with crews working hard to secure the blazes before high winds rip through on Wednesday afternoon.

The Barraba blaze has almost doubled in size overnight and air crews from Armidale have worked tirelessly waterbombing the site to keep it under control.

The fire has been growing by a couple of hundred hectares a day and Mr Purkiss expects it to continue.

“It’s still behind the containment line so it’s no closer to properties on the Bonnay Linton Road than when we kicked off,” he said.

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“It is growing further to the north, getting closer to Ironbark Nature Reserve but we have two National Parks crews assisting on that fire.”

In Narrabri a grass fire believed to have been started by a lightning strike is being controlled 15 to 20 kilometres out of town headed towards Wee Waa, with another bush fire being controlled in Walcha and Bingara.

The Tenterfield fire is still being controlled.

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