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NSW bushfires: Properties, stock lost as dozens of fires continue to burn

Fire expert teams are heading to central west NSW to assess the sheer scale of loss from the weekend's blazes, as more than 80 bushfires continue to burn across the state.

"Today has been the most dangerous day of fire conditions in NSW history": NSW Rural Fire Service.
"Today has been the most dangerous day of fire conditions in NSW history": NSW Rural Fire Service. Source: Getty Image

Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said 25 fires were still uncontained on Monday morning, after blazes burnt across "a very large area" consuming everything in their path.

But cooler temperatures on Monday, after Sunday's catastrophic conditions, will help crews gain an upper hand.

"We know there is clearly losses. Losses in homes, losses in buildings, losses in livestock and other agricultural assets," he told the Nine Network.

"The extraordinary effort of firefighters. What they saved yesterday will far outweigh the losses that we report today. I know that is cold comfort for those who have lost so much and I don't mean any disrespect or being insensitive, but we cannot take away from the amount of property, people, livelihoods that have been saved under yesterday's conditions."

Two fires remain at watch-and-act levels near the towns of Dunedoo and near Mudgee with RFS crews focusing on these areas on Monday.

The Sir Ivan fire, near Dunedoo, has burned through almost 50,000 hectares with an active fire edge of about 200km, Mr Fitzsimmons said.

There are reports the nearby village of Uarby has suffered significant damage with reports of at least six houses being destroyed by fire.

The Kains Flat fire northeast of Mudgee has burnt through 5000 hectares.

Mr Fitzsimmons said critical backburning and patrol work will be undertaken in the coming days.

"Clearly, the weather is going to be of some benefit but there is a lot of very dirty, difficult and dangerous work ahead for firefighters before we can come close to getting these fires under control."

The fire danger will remain very high on Monday in the Greater Hunter and surrounding fire areas, Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Neil Fraser told AAP.

But no part of the state will face severe, extreme or catastrophic conditions.


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