AU – Lithgow RRT – State Mine Fire Emergency RFS Support Operations

The ‘State Mine’ bushfire started in the Marrangaroo Army Range north of Lithgow around midday on Wednesday 16th October. By Thursday morning the fire posed a threat to property on the outskirts of Lithgow, and by mid-afternoon, fanned by strong hot winds gusting beyond 90km/h, had impacted a number of properties in the town, destroying a couple of business premises and severely damaging the Zig Zag Railway.

Come nightfall the fire front had passed the north-eastern limits of the town and was surging through bushland along the Bells Line of Road to the east of the Lithgow, destroying 3 homes in the townships of Clarence and Newnes Junction. The following 7 days saw the fire continuing to burn to the east through bushland along the Bells Line of Road, threatening the townships of Bell, Mt Wilson, Mt Tomah, Berambing & Bilpin.