Firefighters are battling 40 uncontained blazes as 59 bush and grassfires burn across NSW, causing the evacuation of homes and a western Sydney university campus.
NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell has told parliament more than 500 firefighters and 200 appliances are responding and a number of emergency warnings are in place across the state, with four fires at a watch and act level.
"Strong, gusty north-westerly winds continue to effect the firegrounds which are not expected to abate until later this evening," Mr O'Farrell said.
"A southerly change is expected to come through Greater Sydney Basin between 5 and 7pm."
He says there are a number of emergency warnings in place across the state, with four fires at watch and act level.
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The worst blazes are at Tickner Road in Castlereagh, where a 60-hectare grass fire is threatening homes, and a three-hectare fire at Bennett and Richmond Roads in Windsor.
There are also fires at Marsden Park, Winmalee, Wollombi, Lane Cove and Leets Vale.
Earlier, about 2500 people were evacuated from a University of Western Sydney (UWS) campus after a power outage.
UWS says the power outage has affected the entire Richmond region, with bushfires preventing repairs.
"The University of Western Sydney's Hawkesbury campus in Richmond has been closed this afternoon due to a power outage in the region," it said.
"As a precaution students and staff have been sent home."
In Castlereagh around 300 students from St Paul's Grammar School have been evacuated to Penrith's white water park after an emergency warning was issued for a fire threatening properties on nearby Devlin St.
The school's principal Paul Kidson says he and a small number of fire-trained staff remain at the school.
"Human lives were always more important than property," he told ABC radio.
Police helped with the evacuation.
However, the RFS is advising parents not to try to pick their children from the centre as fires are still burning in the area.
In Windsor the fire burning at Bennett Rd, has crossed Richmond Rd and entered Windsor Downs Nature Reserve, the RFS says.
There have been unconfirmed reports of property losses along Hawkesbury Road in Winmalee, in the Blue Mountains.
Winamalee High School is being used as an evacuation centre for residents of the small Blue Mountains town of Hawkesbury Heights.
"All of our children were able to be bussed out at the normal time," a spokeswoman at the school told AAP.
"The school is being used as an evacuation centre for
Hawkesbury Heights."
All children had left the school and were safe, she said.
Hot winds continued to fan the fires in Castlereagh, which were threatening homes and livestock.
The RFS and police have blocked off streets in the suburb as firefighters try to control the blaze spilling over from Tinkler Rd to surrounding streets and several properties.
Sisters Melinda and Samantha Millard, from Horsley Park, rushed to Castlereagh to help their horse trainer only to be told it was too dangerous.
"I got a call from my friend saying 'get up here and help me now'," Melinda told AAP.
"By the time we got here it was too late."
Samantha said the area had a high concentration of fields and horses.
"It's a big horse area, everyone's got horses here."
Melinda said her friends were at the heart of the fire zone trying to save their horse training stable.
"It's scary, it's not even my place, but knowing it could go any minute now is making me really emotional" she said.
"We want to help people and the animals."
