Emergency services are bracing for another horrific fire day on Saturday with temperatures forecast to be 38 degrees for Eden and winds 20 to 30km/hr ahead of a southerly change.
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Given the experience of Tuesday's bushfire emergencies along the coast it has prompted emergency services to urge people to leave before conditions deteriorate.
Speaking at the Eden Community Bushfire meeting on Wednesday afternoon the mayor, Kristy McBain highlighted the situation for those in the south of the shire.
Read also: Helicopters, ships tasked to Mallacoota
She said the Weir Rd fire had connected with the Mallacoota fire and was now being known as the Border fire.
"I must tell you that there are no contained edges in that fire. It is two significant fires that have come together," Cr McBain said.
With severe conditions forecast for Friday Cr McBain said people in Wonboyn, Kiah, Towamba and Boydtown need to enact their fire plans now. She urged visitors to leave early and go to Bega or on to Canberra now that Brown Mountain was open.
"For locals head to Eden, Merimbula or Bega; there is plenty of camping space at Pambula Sports Ground, Berrambool and Tathra Beach Country Club. If you don't need to be in the Bega Valley Shire head out," Cr McBain said.
If you dont need to be on the far south coast of New South Wales, leave well before conditions deteriorate to a safer location. Basic resources are becoming limited and more road closures may become necessary at short notice. It is in the best interests of visitors to leave now.
- Incident Management Team on behalf of the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service
There are concerns too about food and fuel resources in the area and the real possibility of further road closures on Saturday. Fuel has run low in Eden although Cr McBain said Caltex had 10,000l of diesel delivered and a further tanker was expected on Wednesday evening.
Fresh fruit and vegetables plus stables such as bread and milk also were in short supply and there were reports that Coles has closed its door for 30 minutes due to the numbers of people in store on Tuesday.
"Basic resources are becoming limited and more road closures may become necessary at short notice. It is in the best interests of visitors to leave now," a statement by the incident management team on behalf of the Commissioner of the NSW RFS said. Stay informed at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au, Bega Valley Shire Council's Facebook page and Live Traffic NSW.
