Large Bush Fire - Kearsley
Published: 22nd January 2010
Hot weather on Friday 22 January 2010 created difficult firefighting conditions for Hunter Valley fire crews. Just after 4.00pm NSW Fire Brigades received the first of several hundred Triple 0 calls to a bush fire near Duffy Drive, Aberdare. Due to fire weather conditions the fire "crowned", spreading through tree tops, and quickly escalated to involve over 200 hectares around Aberdare and Kearsley. One hundred houses came under direct threat but to the credit of crews, no property losses were reported. Kearsley Fire Station was utilised as the staging area for the large combined services response including Fire rescue officers from Kearsley, Kurri Kurri, Bellbird, Cessnock, Maitland, Paxton and Charlestown, together with numerous Rural Fire Service crews. Water bombing assisted ground crews who maintained patrols throughout the night. Three families chose to relocate to safer areas and no injuries were reported.