Residents across Newcastle were jolted awake on Saturday morning by a spectacular yet dangerous display of nature's force, as intense thunderstorms rolled across the region, sparking a significant fire within the ecologically sensitive Hunter Wetlands.
Storm Fury and a Wetlands Blaze
The wild weather, which featured lightning crashing relentlessly, is suspected to be the direct cause of the wetland fire. A lightning strike observed by a local resident on Saturday morning is believed to have ignited the blaze, which rapidly spread through the area's unique mangrove ecosystem.
Kristy Newman of Callan Avenue in Maryland, whose property backs onto the wetlands, witnessed the moment of ignition. "I said to my husband that I swear that just hit something," she recounted. "And then all of a sudden we've got flames and smoke. This is the biggest one we have seen."
Her neighbour, Leanne Eljuga, described the terrifying atmosphere as the storm broke. "There was lightning crashing all around us," she said, marking an intense start to the weekend for the community.
Emergency Response and Containment Efforts
By Saturday evening, the fire had burned through approximately 73 hectares of mangrove forest. Due to the inaccessible nature of the terrain within the wetlands, firefighting aircraft were deployed to water-bomb the blaze from above, a sight that drew admiration from residents for the skill of the pilots.
A spokesperson for the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) confirmed to the Newcastle Herald that there was no immediate threat to property. The situation was being managed by the state's National Parks service, with local firefighters stationed on streets adjoining the wetlands to ensure the fire remained contained within its boundaries.
The RFS did, however, urge residents to remain vigilant due to the conditions and to stay informed of any updates. Residents in the city's western suburbs were advised to expect smoke from the fire throughout the day.
Statewide Weather Chaos and a Second Blaze
The storm cell that hit the Hunter region was part of a broader system lashing New South Wales. The Bureau of Meteorology recorded severe weather phenomena including hail in Shellharbour and wind gusts reaching 125 kilometres per hour at Gunnedah.
Most strikingly, the NSW RFS reported that the state was hit by more than 120,000 lightning strikes in a 24-hour period, with significant clusters trailing from the west towards the Hunter coast.
Meanwhile, firefighters in the Lake Macquarie area battled a separate bushfire near the Windale Bowling Club on Saturday afternoon. Crews from the local NSW Fire and Rescue service worked for about two hours to contain the fire on Lake Street, bringing it under control by approximately 5:00 PM.
Local fire stations also responded to multiple calls in the Mayfield and Mayfield West areas, which were later confirmed to be false alarms likely triggered by smoke drifting from the larger wetlands fire.
