A LIGHTNING strike is thought to be the cause of an overnight fire which ignited north of Bathurst.
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NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) crews from multiple brigades were called to Reed Creek off Turondale Road at Wattle Flat at around 10pm on Wednesday following reports of a fire.
NSW RFS Chifley/Lithgow Team Operational Officer Brett Taylor said the blaze was burning through very steep and rough terrain.
“We had crews there from Hill End, Sallys Flat, Turondale, Wattle Flat, Raglan and Eglinton,” he said.
The blaze, which now measures around one hectare, was quickly brought under control by firefighters.
At 7.30am on Thursday, Mr Taylor said a number of trees were still burning in that area and that crews and a dozer would return to the scene this morning.
“There’s a track running near it [the fire] and it’s quite steep and there’s a fair few trees burning that we need to deal with,” he said.
Meanwhile, a total fire ban is in place for the Central Ranges today which includes the following council areas: Bathurst, Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Lithgow, Mid-Western, Oberon and Orange.