A remains of a pile burn conducted last week at the Dalmeny sawmill flared in very windy conditions on Monday evening.
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The Dalmeny Kianga, Bodalla and Narooma RFS brigades responded to the fire around 5pm with concerns the fire could spread to stockpiles of timber behind the sawmill located just north of Dalmeny on the Princes Highway.
A front-end loader was used to cover the smouldering pile and RFS volunteers doused it with water. Firefighters remained on scene as the strong winds persisted.
Rural Fire Service crews are also battling a fire west of Moruya on the Araluen Road and a third fire at Merricumbene in remote forest 20kms north-west of Moruya.
Far South Coast RFS manager John Cullen told Fairfax nine crew members from three units from Dalmeny and Bodalla were at the scene.
“They are trying to restrict any fire in chips at the back of the property,” he said.
Heavy machinery was being used to pull apart a pile of flammable material and crews were cooling it down.
Mr Cullen said the cause so far was unknown but crews had responded quickly in windy conditions.
He warned motorists to take care on the Princes Highway, with smoke likely to affect traffic under the west-northwesterly wind.
Meanwhile, west of Moruya, crews will work through the night to protect landholders south of the Araluen Road, in the Deua River Valley.
They were called at about 11am to the western side of Stuarts Road, in between the Moruya Fire Trail and the river.
Mr Cullen said six units and two group officers were at the scene, including crews from Moruya, Broulee, Mogo, Batemans Bay and Mogendoura.
At least four properties west of the area known as Kiora were close to the blaze, .
“We are working beside the owners to protect them and looking to get a dozer in to help,” Mr Cullen said.
A third fire is burning in remote country 20km north-west of Moruya in the Merricumbene area.
Mr Cullen said it was burning on the fire trail between the Woolla and Oula creeks.
Crews were alerted at about midday.
An aircraft is likely to be used later today or tomorrow to give firefighters a better look at conditions.