UPDATE 1PM: Fire Breaks Out on Ash Island

BY JESSICA ROUSE and IAN CROUCH

UPDATE: 1pm The fire burnt through 11 hectares and is now under control.

Crews still on the scene.

UPDATE: 10:37am The fire is now within containment lines at Ash Island.

Around 40 crew and a dozen trucks are still on the scene.

Fire and Rescue NSW say the fire should be out in the next couple of hours.

UPDATE: 9:37am Eight hectare of grass is now well alight and still moving.

Nine Fire and Rescue trucks, as well as one each of Rural Fire Service and National Parks are on the scene trying to extinguish the blaze.

A shed was under threat at around 9 o'clock, but is now being protected by fire fighters.

There's a fair bit of smoke hovering over Hexham and there is some traffic affected both directions on Maitland Road at Millams Road.

UPDATE: 8:10am Four hectares of grass is well alight on Ash Island

Four crews working to extinguish the blaze.

EARLIER:

Fire crews are trying to extinguish a blaze on Ash Island, Hexham which broke out this morning.

Four Fire and Rescue NSW trucks were called to reports of a car being set alight in bush off Maitland Road at Hexham just after 6 o'clock.

The car fire spread to some grass.

It comes after a car fire is thought to have started the massive blaze near Richmond Vale around Leggetts Drive which burnt through around 920 hectares this week.

Fire Update: Thursday 14th September

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Cooler conditions and an overnight southerly change have helped firies get the upper hand on fires burning in the Hunter.

The fire near Richmond Vale in bushland around Leggetts Drive is at an Advice Level after already burning through 920 hectares since it broke containment lines yesterday.

The other fire which was causing concern at Browns Road, Black Hill is also at Advice Level this afternoon and it has burnt through 36 hectares of bushland west of the M1 .

The plan today was to strengthen the containment lines of the fire at Richmond Vale in a bid to completely contain the blaze before winds sweep through the area later this afternoon.

The advice is to keep monitoring the situation in case anything changes.

Meanwhile, volunteers at the Richmond Vale Railway Museum are counting the cost after the fire caused significant damage when it broke containment lines. It's feared the damage bill could be nearly $1 million.

Chairman of the museum Peter Meadows says the damage bill is unthinkable.

"There's three, what were operational stainless steel passenger cars, are now burnt out shells, our number one bridge is damaged. We've got hundreds and hundreds of sleepers that are burnt out and that's a considerable cost when you consider a sleeper is about $100 each or a bit more, so that's where we're at."

For all the latest updates on the fires around the Hunter head to: https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fires-near-me

Leggetts Drive yesterday afternoon. Image MJF Productions.

Heaton State Forest Being Evacuated as Fire Approaches UPDATED 5:11pm

BY JESSICA ROUSE

UPDATE: 5:11pm Most roads around the perimeter of Watagan Forest boundaries are closed.

Freemans Drive is closed at the base of the hill.

The wind has subsided in the area, but the Forestry Corporation fear the small fire in Heaton at Hickory Road could have been deliberately lit.

There's no immediate threat to homes at this stage.

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Heaton State Forest and Watagans National Park near the massive Freemans Waterhole blaze has been evacuated.

The Forestry Corporation of NSW is asking all visitors to leave the Watagan Mountains area immediately, and vice versa do not attempt to enter the area.

A bushfire in Heaton State Forest is spreading north of Mt Faulk Road, Heaton Road and Watagan Forest Road towards the Watagan National Park and along the Heaton end of Leggetts Drive.

There's also a small bushfire out of control on Hickory Road in Heaton

Extra crews from the Forestry Corporation have been dispatched to the area.

Richmond Vale Rail Museum Damaged in Fire

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

The fire at Richmond Vale has caused significant damage to the Richmond Vale Railway Museum on Leggetts Drive.

Three railway carriages have gone up in flames and are destroyed, whilst hundreds of sleepers have been scorched, according to Museum Chairman Peter Meadows, who recently arrived at the site.

"There's three of them that have gone up in flames- they're totally gone, just a mess," he said. "Some of the stock that was out the back is written-off as far as I can see."

An emergency warning was issued by the NSW RFS in relation to the Richmond Vale fire earlier today, as it burnt through 700 hectares of bushland, however it has now been downgraded to a 'watch and act' situation.

"It looks like the majority of the fire has passed us now," Mr Meadows explains, "but there's still smouldering everywhere- there's trees and wagons smouldering ..."

He estimates the damage bill will exceed $100,000 and worries the Railway Museum will be forced to cease operation, as track repair alone will likely take several months.

"As I look down the track, all I can see for 800 or 900 metres is smoking wood and sleepers, which means every one of those needs to be replaced."

Peter Meadows commends the efforts of the Rural Fire Service, saying they've worked strenuously to contain the blaze.

A serious bushfire has impacted some rail exhibits at the Richmond Main Railway Museum near Kurri Kurri. Details on @nbnnews tonight at 6 pic.twitter.com/eQlKY3ghTM

— David Threlfo (@David_Threlfo) September 13, 2017

Fire Crews Scramble To Contain Outbreaks Around Cessnock

BY IAN CROUCH

Firefighters have begun dealing with several outbreaks around Cessnock as temperatures climb into the thirties.

A fire at the Tomalpin Link Fire Trail at Richmond Vale which was under control broke containment lines just after 10.30am on Wednesday and an Emergency Warning has just been issued.

Water bombing aircraft are assisting firefighters on the ground in a bid to protect prioperties in the area with the fire reported to be burning in an easterly direction towards Leggetts Drive

Elsewhere, crews from Fire and Rescue NSW and the RFS were called to a blaze which broke out behind the Hunter Economic Zone at Pellaw Main just after 10.00am - they've managed to extinguish the flames and are currently mopping up.

Another fire has broken out at the corner of Old Maitland Road and Lavender Lane at Cessnock. Newcastle Fire Command says one hectare of grass is alight but no homes are under threat and the fire is being contained.

RFS crews are also working to contain a fire at Browns Road at Black Hill near John Renshaw Drive.