A bushfire that raged on multiple fronts around Abermain in the NSW Hunter region on Tuesday is being treated as suspicious, with arson shaping as the most likely cause of the blaze.
The Rural Fire Service confirmed an investigation into the suspicious fire, which as of Wednesday morning had burnt through 636 hectares of bushland, would be carried out over coming days.
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Sydney weather: the heat is on
The entire Sydney basin will see temperatures climb towards 40 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday with little temperature drop overnight.
Temperatures are forecast to soar again on Wednesday, with the mercury tipped to hit 38 degrees in Cessnock. The RFS said early on Wednesday that the fire remained out of control in bushland south of Abermain, in the vicinity of Hebburn Road.
"Currently there is no property at threat," the RFS said.
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"Residents in the area of Neath and Abermain are advised to continue to monitor the situation and take advice from firefighters on the ground.
"Firefighters have taken advantage of slightly better conditions overnight to conduct backburning operations and crews will continue to work on strengthening containment lines this morning.
"Temperatures are forecast to be in the high 30s later today with strong north-westerly winds. These conditions will put pressure on containment lines."
On Tuesday, Abermain resident Graeme Glanville struggled to reason with news firefighters were treating the blaze as deliberately lit.
Mr Glanville had spent the day working shoulder-to-shoulder with emergency crews to protect his Charles Street home.
"From a human point of view, it's hard to get your head around the people who want to do this," Mr Glanville told the Newcastle Herald.
"The amount of resources that are drawn into doing this ... I just don't know how to put it in words, really, it's heartbreaking."
Mr Glanville praised firefighters for their heroic efforts.
"They are worth their weight in platinum – not gold – platinum," he said.
Emergency crews worked through Tuesday night to contain the blaze, with three fire fronts breaking out during Tuesday at Abermain and nearby Neath.
Firefighters had to race against erratically changing wind conditions to protect homes as the blaze came frighteningly close in the afternoon.
The fire raged up Cessnock Road, almost surrounding it and nearby Forbes Street, sending firefighters scrambling to save a property between the main road and bushland.
In the scramble, one resident's truck was engulfed by flames. As conditions deteriorated, the RFS sent an emergency text message warning at 3pm that urged people to find shelter as it was too late to leave.
The fire came within metres of Jackson Walsh's Forbes Street home.
The Newcastle Herald witnessed dozens of residents hosing their properties to protect against burning embers.
"I was inside when it started, I just heard someone coming down the street honking a horn," Mr Walsh said. "I looked outside and just saw it burning, it was as high as the trees, that's when we got out."
Abermain's Tania Gammage said she could "just see flames everywhere", while Jordan Appleyard said it was the worst fire she had seen in the area.
"I was inside and all of a sudden I saw a pile of smoke," Ms Appleyard said.
"I ran outside and started knocking on people's doors and the fire was right here. Dead-set, just here."
Anyone with information over how the fire started should contact police or Crime Stoppers.