Two hundred homes in Wentworth Falls have been doorknocked by police warning them of fire nearby, but the Great Western Highway is still open and the Rural Fire Service and police are adamant that "this is no Yellow Rock".
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"It's not Yellow Rock, it's a standard Blue Mountains bushfire and Rural Fire Service are well in control," said Sergeant Mick Magill at the fireground headquarters on Coronation Road just after 2.30pm on Saturday.
"I got here at 6am and the fire is getting smaller and smaller, but the wind is picking up," he added.
RFS group leader for Blue Mountains, Mick Metcalfe, agreed adding "it's business as usual".
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS) issued a watch and act alert for the Wentworth Falls area around inaccessible terrain in bush adjacent to Tablelands Road. The fire started last night and is burning over 30 hectares in the area around Hordern Road, Coronation Road and Tableland Road, and also in the Jamison Valley.
Multiple RFS trucks, from in and outside the area, are waiting in driveways along Coronation and Hordern roads. Tableland Road is blocked off to anyone other than local residents and emergency services. Some residents have already chosen to leave, police said.
"If you've got issues leave early or if you're not prepared to defend your property," Sgt Magill told the Blue Mountains Gazette was the message he was giving to the residents.
RFS is using two water bombing helicopters, as well as ground crews "to make sure the fire is out on the edge," Mr Metcalfe said.
Bodington Nursing Home has not been evacuated but staff "have been advised in relation to smoke drift", he added.
RFS hope to have the fire contained by tomorrow and were giving some crews a rest overnight, with more forces being marshalled in in the morning.
Police are treating the fire as "one that requires investigation".
The Gazette understands that last night a young man was arrested in relation to a separate fire at Mitchells Pass in the Lower Mountains.
Originally published as 200 homes doorknocked in Wentworth Falls over bushfire threat by Blue Mountains Gazette.