Linton Fire: watch and act fire warning issued for blaze at Warrabah, north of Tamworth

The bush fire in the Linton and Warrabah area continues to burn and has now blazed through 2896 hectares. Easing conditions overnight have seen the immediate threat to properties in this area decrease as firefighters continue work in the area to protect homes. There have been no reported loss of properties to the NSW Rural Fire Service. Favourable conditions today will allow firefighters to further their containment lines to bring the fire under control. Kingstown Public School will be closed on Thursday. The NSW Rural Fire Service urges residents to monitor the situation and take advice from firefighters on the ground. Review and implement your Bush Fire Survival Plan. If you do not have a plan, ensure you know what you will do if conditions change. There are reports two houses have been destroyed in the Warrabah blaze which continues to burn out of control on Wednesday night. Several fences have been destroyed and there are unconfirmed reports of cattle deaths. A BLAZE at Linton has had a significant break out this afternoon to the southern side of Warrabah Road. In the process the fire threatened properties at Buelah and Warrabah Homestead. There have been no significant property losses at this time, the RFS said. Fire crews are warning residents in the area to activate their Bushfire Survival Plan if they have one, if they are not prepared or confident in staying they should evacuate. Any properties within the area of the fire should consolidate stock into a fuel reduced paddock or ploughed paddock. If possible property owners should put ploughed fuel breaks around structural assets and if the fire threatens agricultural properties open gates to allow stock a chance to escape the blaze. While threatening, firefighters do not expect that measure to be necessary for another day. The Warrabah Road is closed and the out of control fire has burnt through 2100 hectares. Firefighters are working to control the blaze and are hopeful forecasted easterly winds on Thursday will push the fire back on itself. Western containment lines are being reinforced. Fire crews have issued a watch-and-act fire warning for an out-of-control bushfire burning in the Warrabah area, north of Tamworth. The fire has burnt more than 1,500 hectares and is not yet under control and is burning in the area of Linton and Warrabah. The RFS said deteriorating weather conditions and strong north-westerly winds have seen an increase in fire activity on Wednesday afternoon. The fire is moving in a southerly direction and has crossed Warrabah Road. The RFS said a number of isolated properties may come under threat, however firefighters are being positioned to protect properties as required. Power is currently out to Kingstown and surrounding immediate areas. Essential Energy is working to rectify this. RFS ADVICE If you are in the area, monitor the situation closely and follow advice from firefighters on the ground. Review and implement your Bush Fire Survival Plan. If you do not have a plan, ensure you know what you will do if conditions change. Crews will be conducting doorknocks in the area. A community meeting is scheduled for 6:00pm at the Public Hall, Kingstown. READ ALSO: Tamworth haze, poor air quality worse than some Sydney suburbs Other Information If your life is at risk, call Triple Zero (000) immediately. Continue to stay up to date with the bush fire situation by checking http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au, listening to your local radio station or by calling the NSW RFS Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737. For information on road closures, check http://livetraffic.com. Roads may be closed without warning. The next update on this fire will be issued by 13/02/2019 16:30 or if the situation changes. Firefighters will backburn today, where conditions are suitable, in an effort to contain the bush fire burning in the Warrabah area, north of Tamworth. The fire has now burnt more than 1467 hectares and is not yet under control. The immediate threat to properties has eased but residents have been told to monitor conditions in case they change. If you are in the area of Warrabah, continue to monitor conditions and ensure you know what you will do if the fire reaches your property or location. Crews are conducting doorknocks in the area. Stay up to date and monitor conditions. You may see an increase of smoke and fire as backburning operations are carried out. Backburning will be used where conditions are suitable in an effort to contain the fire. EIGHT aircraft were en-route or attacking an out-of-control bushfire burning in the Warrabah area, north of Tamworth. More than 20 firefighters were on the ground, backed by local landholders and bulldozers to fight the Linton blaze, which was spreading towards Kingstown. By 6pm the blaze had doubled in size to close to 1300 hectares as strong winds fanned flames, with a watch-and-act fire warning in place for properties under threat on Warrabah Road. RFS Superintendent Allyn Purkiss said helicopters and fixed wing aircraft were attacking the blaze, with attempts to use a local road as a fire break. “The fire has been encroaching on Warrabah Road, which is closed. There will be a total fire ban again for Wednesday with similar conditions,” he said. “The flames are just going where they please, the wind is just pushing them.” He said crews had fought hard and managed to save a 100-year-old sheep station at Warrabah. “The crews have bent over backwards to fight, and they have done everything, and the conditions are not good, so they’ve worked so hard,” he said. “We’ve had a pile of local landholders working and bulldozers who are making headway, battling the back of the fire.” It’s believe the fire was sparked by lightning on Monday. A total fire ban is in place for Wednesday. A Community Meeting will be held on Wednesday in Kingstown at 6pm at Kingstown Hall. Updates on this fire are also available at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au or by calling call 1800 NSW RFS (1800 If you are in the area of Warrabah, make your final preparations now and ensure you know what you will do if the fire reaches your property or location. Protect yourself from the heat of the fire. If you are in the area of Kingstown and your plan is to leave, leave now. THE RFS says the out of control Warrabah bushfire is threatening properties along Warrabah Road. The fire has burnt more than 650 hectares and is not under control. The fire is burning in the area of Linton and Warrabah and is spreading quickly in an easterly direction towards Kingstown. High temperatures and strong winds are fanning the fire, and fire activity is increasing. There is a number of rural properties in the area along Warrabah Road which are under threat. People in the area of Kingstown may experience heavy smoke and embers. Firefighters and aircraft are working to slow the spread of the fire. Advice If you are in the area of Warrabah, make your final preparations now and ensure you know what you will do if the fire reaches your property or location. Protect yourself from the heat of the fire. If you are in the area of Kingstown and your plan is to leave, leave now. There is a statewide total fire ban in force. Other Information If your life is at risk, call Triple Zero (000) immediately. Continue to stay up to date with the bush fire situation by checking http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au, listening to your local radio station or by calling the NSW RFS Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737. For information on road closures, check http://livetraffic.com. Roads may be closed without warning. An emergency fire warning has been issued for a fire burning at Tingha. An emergency fire warning is also in place for an out of control blaze near Tabulum. A WATCH and act fire warning has been issued for an out-of-control bushfire burning north of Tamworth near Warrabah. The Rural Fire Service (RFS) said the bush fire is burning in the area of Warrabah, which is east of Barraba. The fire is not under control. At 2pm, the RFS said the fire is burning in the area of Linton and Warrabah and is spreading quickly in an easterly direction towards Kingstown. High temperatures and strong winds are fanning the fire, and fire activity is increasing. There is a number of rural properties in the area along Warrabah Road which are under threat. People in the area of Kingstown may experience heavy smoke and embers. Firefighters and aircraft are working to slow the spread of the fire. Fire crews are warning those in the Warrabah area to make final preparations now and ensure they know what to do if the fire reaches their property or location. Those are urged protect themselves from the heat of the fire. The RFS said if you are in the area of Kingstown and your plan is to leave, leave now. There is a statewide total fire ban in force. More to come. READ ALSO: