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.

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