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HUNTER residents will on Friday begin counting the costs of a bushfire emergency that swept through the region in a manic few hours, forcing major evacuations in several suburbs and a hospital.
Three fast-moving fires raced through the Coalfields scrub near Abermain to leave that suburb, Kurri Kurri, South Weston and Pelaw Main under emergency warnings last night.
Within hours of the first alert, NSW Rural Fire Service volunteers were on standby to defend Kurri Kurri Hospital as it was evacuated and the flames approached.
After breaking out about 3pm, authorities were last night warning residents in several areas including Boundary Street at Kurri Kurri it was too late to leave and to seek shelter.
Crews were stretched thin when a second emergency erupted at West Wallsend from a truck fire that had closed the M1 Motorway in both directions.
That fire forced residents to evacuate towards Cameron Park.
One West Wallsend resident said she had never been evacuated in 13 years living in the suburb.
Police were driving through the streets urging residents to flee, with landholders shifting horses on foot as the smoke descended.
In Weston, Leslie Colecliffe had watched the flames get closer and closer to her back fence.
"I'm shit scared, I don't know where I'm going but I'm leaving," the First Street resident said as she packed her six dogs into her car.
Less than 100 meters away, Teasdale's Tyre and mechanic shop had just exploded.
A fireball followed by a tower smoke flew into the blackened sky.
It was followed by the deafening howl of a dozen fire trucks that had been diverted to the latest fire front that threatened to engulf the coalfields town.
For about 40 minutes on Thursday the fate of Weston and Abermain hung in the balance as the surrounding bush spontaneously combusted.
Many of those who had chosen to leave their homes wandered the streets in search of safety as the flames moved in.
Elford Avenue resident Ros Flynn spoke to the Newcastle Herald after she was evacuated from her home, where she's lived for the last seven years.
"I don't know if my house is still there," Ros Flynn said.
"When I left it was lapping the fence across the road.
"We've had fires before but nothing like this."
Beyond the immediate risk of blazes fanned by strong winds, embers carried on strong winds are blowing far ahead of the fire's front to pose a significant spot-fire risk.
Like dozens of other residents, Donna Knight bravely attempted to defend her First Street property from the looming apocalypse with a garden hose.
"It's worse than anything we had in 2019. It's so early in the season. I don't know what's next," she said.
"We are all just trying to help our neighbours and wet our houses."
An evacuation centre was established at Cessnock Leagues Club in Darwin Street, while Kurri Kurri Aquatic and Fitness Centre closed shortly before 5pm "due to the intensity of smoke on pool deck and the safety of our staff and patrons".
Huge plumes of smoke were visible as far away as Edgeworth.
The Bureau of Meteorology had issued a fire weather warning for the Hunter on Thursday, when temperatures were in the high 30s and potential storms were forecast.
