4.30am, January 20: Conditions are easing. While conditions are easing, people who have left the Carabost area should not attempt to return as conditions could change.
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Firefighters will be backburning throughout the night where conditions allow. Residents can expect to see a significant increase in fire activity, flames and smoke.
A number of buildings have been destroyed in this fire. Crews have confirmed that three homes have been destroyed. Specialist NSW RFS Building Impact Assessment teams will be in the area on Monday morning to assess other losses in the area.
Local road closures remain in place.
6.20pm: This video shows just how intensely the Minnimbah fire was burning in pine plantation at Carabost this afternoon.
6.00pm: THE fire burning near Carabost has been downgraded to Watch & Act.
Crews are still working to protect property.
5.00pm: THE RFS has confirmed that three homes have been lost near Carabost.
#Humula fire crowning in pine plantation off Carabost Rd after wind change swept through the area. #nswfires pic.twitter.com/VltnUgOf3B
— Alex McConachie (@alexmcconachie) January 19, 2014
Crews are continuing to assess other property loss in the area.
4.15pm: THE RFS says two sky cranes are en route to help fight the Minnimbah fire.
3.50pm: THE NSW RFS has confirmed to The Daily Advertiser that five properties have been destroyed by the Minnimbah fire near Tumbarumba Road.
3.10pm: RESIDENTS at Carabost Village are asked to leave their properties.
An Emergency Warning is now in place.
Leave now if the path is clear in a south easterly direction towards Tumbarumba.
It is not safe to stay.
Emergency Warning (Minnimbah, Wagga Wagga): The fire is moving quickly towards Carabost and threatening properties http://t.co/M71hjlKk4D
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) January 19, 2014
#Humula fire burning in pine off Carabost Rd. Flames crowning 100m in height #nswfires pic.twitter.com/fQVA3jeKXR
— Alex McConachie (@alexmcconachie) January 19, 2014
3.00pm:
Watch & Act (Minnimbah) Fire spotting over control lines @ Carabost & Shockeroo. Some isolated properties threatened http://t.co/EJY7NR0jJP
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) January 19, 2014
2.50pm: SMOKE and embers are now being blown over Humula as wind conditions deteriorate.
A number of isolated properties are under immediate threat in the Humula, Carabost and Little Billabong areas.
Firefighters are actively taking property protection.
2.40pm:
An image of the Minnimbah Fire @1143 shows fire activity on the eastern side of the fire near Carabost Rd. #nswfires http://t.co/joH0voM5Qt
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) January 19, 2014
2.30pm: THE expected wind change has arrived with strong south westerly winds blowing on the Minnimbah fire ground.
View a summary of local road closures at http://t.co/uD1MkeerWq #humula #NSWfires #Wagga
— Wagga City Council (@wwccmedia) January 18, 2014
Around 220 firefighters, supported by aircraft and heavy plant, are working to protect properties and strengthen containment lines around the Minnimbah Fire.
The fire is currently more than 8000 hectares and is burning quickly and erratically.
1.30pm: THE expected wind change is yet to arrive at Minnimbah.
Ash continues to fall across the fire ground while heavy, thick smoke blankets the affected area.
12.00pm: THE RFS is warning of a potential mid-afternoon west to southwesterly wind change that could change the fire's direction in the way of Humula Village.
The fire continues to burn out of control quickly and erratically through pine plantation and native forest.
Around 150 firefighters, supported by aircraft and heavy plant, are working to protect properties and establish control lines near Shockeroo Road to Carabost Road and Little Billabong to Volkins Creek Road.
A number of isolated properties remain under threat in the Humula, Carabost and Little Billabong areas.
Little Billabong and Tumbarumba-Wagga roads remain closed.
9.30am: THERE are unconfirmed reports of up to five homes being destroyed by the Minnimbah bushfire, burning in the Carabost area, this morning.
The fire continues to burn out of control in pine plantation and has razed more than 7000 hectares so far.
A Watch and Act alert remains in place for the area.
Conditions in the fire-affected area are calm at present but firefighters are expecting a significant deterioration this afternoon.
A number of isolated properties in the Humula, Carabost and Little Billabong areas remain under threat.
Rural Fire Service crews worked overnight to establish control lines to the north on Shockeroo Road, to the east on Carabost road and to the south from Little Billabong to Volkins Road.
Backburning will continue today ahead of the expected deterioration in weather conditions.
At about 1am this morning, the fire was upgraded to Emergency Warning status and telephone alerts issued for people in the Carabost area, with residents told to evacuate to Tarcutta.
The threat to Carabost has since eased and the fire has been downgraded to Watch and Act status.