Awe-inspiring firefighters and volunteers who put their lives on the line have saved the day in NSW, Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill says.
The Blue Mountains faced an unparalleled risk from raging fires on Wednesday amid devastating conditions, but residents who fled their homes now have been told they can go back home.
The relieved mayor said they survived what was going to be the worst day of the bushfires because the firefighters, police emergency services and the people planning the operations were magnificent.
"They have held the line today," he told ABC's 730.
"We survived this incredible day because of great planning and also because those magnificent volunteers put their lives on the line for this community, yet again."
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He lavished praise on the "awe-inspiring" effort of the people running the firefighting operations.
"They are amazing, they're sophisticated, they understand their strategies, they understand their people and resources and they are amazing," he said.
