A large emergency-level bushfire is burning in multiple directions in the NSW Central West after winds and temperatures picked up this afternoon.
The out-of-control blaze in isolated and rugged terrain near Hill End, about 80 kilometres north of Bathurst, has burnt through more than 3,100 hectares since it started on Sunday.
Threatening up to 50 properties, the first emergency warning for the fire had been issued on Monday afternoon before being downgraded overnight.
Firefighters used calmer conditions this morning to build containment lines before high temperatures and strong winds pushed it back to emergency level this afternoon.
The blaze was spreading quickly on the northern side of the fire, threatening 10 homes in the Doughterys Junction Road area.
Residents are being advised it is too late to leave, and told they should seek shelter as the fire approaches.
It is also spreading on the south-eastern side of the fire, around Alpha Road.
Anyone in the area along Hill End Road between Posey Hill Road and Sallys Flat to the east should be aware of embers that may start fires ahead of the fire front.
"On that eastern side there it has taken a run towards a number of properties," RFS spokeswoman Angela Burford said.
"So while we do have firefighters on the ground and they are supported by aircraft, we have sent out alert messages to certain communities as we really need people to take action immediately to save their life and property."
Ms Burford said hot and windy conditions this afternoon have led to increased fire activity in an area between Dun Dun Creek and Hill End Road.
"We have reports of at least one property that has been damaged but we haven't been able to confirm that and won't be able to until we can get inspectors to he area," Ms Burford said.
"This afternoon we have one property the fire is moving towards but we have crews in place for property protection."
She urged residents to remain cautious, with the fire predicted to move north.
"The increase in temperature and winds is quite a concern for us," she said.
"We have a water tanker dropping water on these fires given the rugged terrain."
A man was taken to Bathurst Health Service on Tuesday afternoon after collapsing from heat exhaustion while fighting the fire on Hill End Road.
A total fire ban will be in place in the area again on Wednesday.
Lightning most likely cause of fire
It's believed lightning started the fire during a thunderstorm at the weekend, and the Bureau of Meteorology said there was the chance of a thunderstorm north of Mudgee this afternoon.
"It's not looking like there's a huge amount of rain associated with these systems," duty forecaster Kate Doyle said.
"We are expecting those storms to be relatively benign but there is the risk of some dry lightning and some gusts associated with those too."
'Pretty close and pretty scary'
Robyn Rayner said she was nervously watching aircraft water bomb and dump fire retardant on the blaze from her sheep farm at Sallys Flat.
She said before last night's wind direction change "it got pretty close and pretty scary".
She said the fire was now "at the back of our property … still too close for comfort".
In preparation, Ms Rayner and her family gathered their stud sheep in yards, watered the ground around them and they packed the car in case they need to leave.
"We did everything we could to protect our property," she said.
While the threat to her farm had eased, her husband and son were assisting as bulldozers built containment lines on the neighbouring property.
Conditions keep changing
Watch and act warnings for two other fires, Burrendong and Cranbrook south of Dubbo, were downgraded to advice level overnight.
The Cranbrook fire near Toongi has so far burnt through 873ha in size and is being controlled.
The Burrendong blaze, burning around 15km south-east of Wellington, has burned to the picnic area of the dam.
It is 890ha in size and the RFS said rural properties around Burrendong Dam could be affected.
Crews are working to build containment lines for both fires.
Residents who stayed to defend their homes were advised to be on the lookout for "burning embers".
