10pm

At the end of Tuesday it feels like we dodged a bullet. The towns of Whian Whian, Tuntable Falls, The Channon and Dunoon did not have to be evacuated as expected but there was some property losses.

We are not out of the woods yet, the fire danger is still 'severe' and if there is one thing we have learned in the past four days it is that bush fires are very unpredictable, changing paths very quickly and spreading at a very fast rate. Please remain vigilant as the Mt Nardi Bush Fire is still a 'watch and act' classification.

NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told a news conference at 9pm that the winds were not as strong as expected and did not persist as long as expected leading to the bush fire having less impact toady.

The fires also didn't reach as far as modelling thought because of a smoke blanket that started the day.

There is a southerly change coming through the far north coast early in the morning making temperatures a great deal cooler than today.

These winds should push the Mt Nardi fire north which means away from our towns but into more of the Nightcap National Park.

We can expect some easterly winds in the afternoon. While this forecast is positive for home loss and evacuations residents must remain vigilant due to the erratic behaviour of bush fires. Currently the fire covers 2,600 hectares, however this could change when the southerly change moves in.

We had two confirmed homes destroyed today in Tuntable Falls plus an unconfirmed report of the Tuntable Falls Community School burning down. Our thoughts are with the owners who must be devastated as I write this story.

The following photos were taken by Natasha Tiffany on the Nimbin Hooks Up facebook page of Tuntable Creek Road at 8:40pm looking into Tuntable.

Spare a thought for our neighbours to the south and south west who are experiencing the Mile Creek fire near New Italy. Some people have been evacuated to Ballina or our evacuation centre at GSAC. The Pacific Highway is closed between Ballina (at the Bruxner Hwy/River Street roundabout) and Grafton.

We will have more updates as the information flows in.

4pm

The Total Fire Ban has been extended until midnight Wednesday November 13. This means that no open fires can be lit anywhere in NSW.

When firefighters are working under difficult circumstances to save properties, you wonder if some owners could have done more to help their properties;

"I'VE BEEN ASKING PEOPLE FOR MONTHS AND YEARS TO CLEAR AROUND THEIR HOUSES - THIS IS WHY!"🏠

Senior deputy captain of the Nimbin Rural Fire Service Charlie Cohen says 300 houses are under threat on the western edge of the Nightcap National Park.

"We're going from house-to-house preparing for ember attack," he said.

"We'll try to save most of them but not all of them, some are just too hard. Some of them are indefensible."

He says it's frustrating seeing homes that have not been adequately prepared.

"I'm not going to lose firies to save something that someone couldn't care about themselves enough to clear."

We have heard from a resident in Tuntable Creek who was allowed into her property for one hour around midday to get a generator and camping gear in case it was needed in the next couple of days. The Mt Nardi bush fire was coming down the Wallace Road ridge towards the Tuntable Falls school and Hall. No official information has been received about the path of the fire or any damage done to the school, hall or homes in the area.

Tuntable Falls resident Ginger O'Brien confronted Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin today as the fires got closer to Tuntable Falls https://www.facebook.com/ABCNorthCoast/videos/464763250817765/

With the new bush fire erupting near New Italy residents of Woodburn and Evans Head have been advised to head in a northerly direction towards Lismore via the Pacific Highway and Ballina. The evacuation centre is at GSAC at 50 Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah.

More details to come.

11am

It feels as though everyone is holding their breath at the moment waiting for the northerly wind shift to take place. Reports from people at Tuntable Creek and Dunoon are saying that conditions are calm for now and the communities have packed their cars and activated their bush fire plans in preparation for a possible evacuation later this afternoon.

Residents are looking after the elderly and each other by helping clear gutters to get their houses ready for this afternoons events.

As you can see by the photos looking at the ridge to the north where the fire is burning, the wind change will push the fire towards the towns of Whian Whian, Tuntable Creek, Dunoon and The Channon.

The Lismore City Council has just released this water warning for residents with a private water supply.

Fire retardants

Fire retardants are being used to slow the spread of fires and protect properties.

NSW Health recommends that people with a private drinking water supply maintain an emergency store of drinking water in case a bushfire disrupts your normal supply. Each person requires a minimum of 3 litres of drinking water each day.

Ensure you disconnect the down pipe to your rainwater tank as soon as there is a bush fire risk to prevent contaminated water from entering it.

If the water tastes, looks or smells unusual do not drink it or give it to animals.

The fire retardants currently used in Australia are of low toxicity.

If eye contact does occur, rinse eyes with fresh water continuously for several minutes until all contaminant is washed out. If symptoms develop or persist, seek medical attention. If swallowed, rinse your mouth out with fresh water, then consult a doctor. If skin contact occurs wash the affected area with soap and water.

For further information call the NSW Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.

More news as it happens.

8:30am

In case you haven't seen this Facebook post from the Nimbin Rural Fire Brigade, here is what our brave and hardworking fire fighters have been doing over night to protect our properties for todays Severe weather warning......

Mt Nardi Fire (Western Division) update...

The fire burning around Mt Nardi and east to Terania Creek, Huonbrook and beyond continues to burn out of control. In the early hours of Sunday, Wallace Rd Control lines were breached and crews needed to withdraw from the ridge.

TUNTABLE SECTOR

Local weather conditions yesterday around Nimbin allowed brigades to reduce some of the lighter, volatile fuel hazards around homes within Tuntable Falls CoOp.

While some structures remain indefensible, crews continued working overnight, alongside community members who chose to stay and defend. Back burning operations at the north end of the CoOp continued before dawn.

The hope will be to see the Tuntable Sector of this fire push eastward, back on itself and give our teams a real chance at property protection along the Tuntable Creek Valley floor.

TERANIA SECTOR

There is a deep black edge east below Wallace Rd, along the Terania Creek Valley, but fire continues to burn in inaccessible terrain along the fire’s southwestern flank.

For the safety of fire crews, Wallace Rd had to be abandoned as a strategic control line.

Today’s West/Southwest winds will put pressure on this southwest edge and we expect the fire to extend southward along the Wallace Rd ridge and Terania Creek Valley.

Potential for ember attack further south and east across the valley is high. Variability of local wind, falling trees and spotting has potential for the fire to also creep west (against the WSW winds) into Siddha Farm Community and extend its southern range through the Tuntable Creek Valley

NEWTON SECTOR

A solid effort by NPWS crews and heavy plant plus retardant drops by the 737 Large Air Tanker has protected the area’s communications infrastructure at Mt Nardi.

A CABA equipped crew has been tasked with monitoring the northwest fire activity and protecting the Comms Towers at the top of Newton Drive.

It is going to be a dynamic and challenging day for us all. Many roads remain closed and others will no doubt follow suit. The projected range of ember threat from this fire extends many kilometres to the south east.0

Please be vigilant and follow all RFS updates to the official website and local instructions as they come to hand. This page is administered by active Nimbin RFB firefighters and unlikely to be updated until today’s end.

Stress levels and emotions are running high throughout every community, but cool heads must prevail. Stay safe, be kind and support one another. Peace ❤️

We will put out more information as it comes to hand throughout the day.