Fullerton Cove fire remains at 'advice' level as RFS warn of hot and dry conditions

THE fire burning at Fullerton Cove since Sunday morning has now chewed through more than 160 hectares of bushland.

The blaze remains at advice level and is considered under control, according to the most recent updates from the Rural Fire Service.

Crews have been working tirelessly on the fire ground and two main containment lines running from Nelson Bay Road through to the beach, have managed to keep the fire at bay. Going into day three, the direction and ferocity of the wind was key in keeping the blaze under control. A duty officer at the Lower Hunter RFS control centre said the drop in wind on Tuesday afternoon had helped the situation on the fire ground and greatly reduced the amount of smoke coming from the area.

The RFS and National Parks and Wildlife service, with the help of two water-bombing helicopters, have moved their focus onto hotspots and will remain on scene to monitor the situation.

Police and fire investigators have labelled the blaze 'suspicious' after an immediate cause or ignition point could not be determined. Investigators are also looking at the cause of the recent blaze at Mambo Wetlands, but it is not believed the two are linked.

On Monday afternoon the fire travelled up to Maks Track, forcing emergency services to close the road, as well as Lavis Lane. Dry and windy conditions also saw a grass fire take off at Thornton, which has since been brought under control.

The fires have prompted the RFS to issue a warning to Hunter residents.

"Once again we would like to remind people that despite the amount of rain we have had, the conditions are right for bushfires," a statement from Medowie Rural Fire Brigade said.

"We have seen a great deal of fuel growth thanks to the rain and with the warmer weather and winds drying everything out the fire weather is just right.

"Please have a fire safety plan ready and prepare your homes accordingly."

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UPDATE November 21, 2PM

THE fire at Fullerton Cove remains at advice level.

The fire continues to burn in bushland between Nelson Bay Road and Stockton Beach, north of Newcastle. It has progressed north towards the Macs Track off Lavis Lane so RFS crews have restricted access to Lavis Lane to residents and emergency service vehicles only.

Firefighters and National Parks and Wildlife Services remain on scene, assisted by a waterbombing helicopter. The fire is not currently threatening property.

There is a lot of smoke in the air and nearby residents are asked to close their windows and stay up-to-date with the fire advice.

UPDATE: November 21, 7AM

MORE than 40 hectares of land has burned in a bushfire at Fullerton Cove over the weekend.

The plume of smoke coming from the blaze at Coxs Lane could be seen from Newcastle city-centre on Sunday.

The fire was downgraded to advice level overnight, after Rural Fire Service crews and a water-bombing helicopter worked to douse the flames.

A spokesman for the RFS said westerly winds were expected to continue to push the fire away from properties and towards Stockton Beach on Monday.

The fire will continue to burn in bushland between Nelson Bay Road and Stockton Beach throughout the day, but is expected to remain at advice level.

RFS crews and the helicopter will be back on scene on Monday to monitor the situation and residents should expect to see smoke coming from the area as the fire burns itself out.

The blaze is a reminder to residents to be prepared for fire season.

"We are expecting a very dry week, it is a good opportunity for people to assess their level of preparedness," the RFS spokesman said.

Here are some basic maintenance tips to prepare your property:

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EARLIER REPORT: Westerly wind drives brush fire at Coxs Lane

AT least five hectares of brush near Coxs Lane at Fullerton Cove are on fire on Sunday but with no expected damage to property, according to the NSW Rural Fire Service.

A big plume of smoke is easily visible from Newcastle this afternoon, and it has grown in size since this morning when RFS said the fire was reported, just after 9am.

The RFS spokesperson said the fire was burning in an inaccessible area.

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"Crews from RFS and NSW Parks and Wildlife Service are on scene and monitoring the fire," the spokesperson said.

"It's being pushed towards the beach by strong westerly winds and is not threatening any homes or structures. A helicopter will be sent to assist ground crews to monitor the fire and to water bomb it."

Although the fire is described as "out of control" on the RFS "fires near me" website, it is also at the lowest, yellow, level of alert, because of the strong north-west to westerly winds blowing the fire towards the ocean.

The wind at Nobbys this afternoon has gusted as high as 70kmh from the north-west.

The RFS spokesperson said a smaller brush fire at Medowie Road, Ferodale, had been dealt with earlier today.

Weather records for nearby Williamtown show 36.4mm of rain so far in November, across four days of rainfall.

The November monthly average (since 1942) is 82.5mm across 11.5 days.

So far this year, rainfall at Williamtown has totalled 1439.2mm on 167 days, well above the post-1942 average for the same period of 1045.3mm on 130.5 days.

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