Wildfire Spreads Across Rural New South Wales, Homes Burn, Three Firefighters Injured, Towns Evacuated Fast

Sydney, Australia— A wildfire spread across rural New South Wales on October 31, 2026, burning homes and injuring three firefighters as hot winds pushed flames through dry bushland.

The fire started near Coonabarabran in the state’s northwest around 10 a.m. Temperatures hit 36 degrees. Humidity dropped below 15 percent. Wind gusts reached 70 kilometers per hour. The bush was tinder dry after months without rain. The fire moved fast.

Rural Fire Service said the blaze had burned more than 8,000 hectares by late afternoon. At least six homes were confirmed destroyed near the village of Binnaway. More were feared lost but could not be checked because roads were still closed. Livestock losses were reported.

Three firefighters were injured. Two suffered burns when a wind change overran their truck. They were treated at Coonabarabran hospital. The third had smoke inhalation. Their injuries were not life-threatening. Their truck was destroyed.

Residents were told to leave. The RFS issued an emergency warning for Binnaway and Mendooran. People fled with utes loaded with dogs and photo albums. One man said he saw the smoke at 11 a.m. By noon, flames were at his fence. He left with the clothes on his back.

Fire behavior was extreme. Spot fires started 2 kilometers ahead of the main front. Eucalyptus oil in the air made flames crown. Water bombers could not fly for two hours because smoke was too thick. Ground crews cut lines with bulldozers.

The Bureau of Meteorology said a cold front would bring wind shift tonight, which could push the fire in a new direction. That worried crews. A shift could put more towns in danger. It could also help if it brought rain. No rain was forecast.

This area burned badly in 2019. Many residents never rebuilt. Those who did used more fire-resistant materials. Still, the bush had grown back dense. Fuel loads were high. A local fire captain said they had asked for hazard reduction burns last winter. They were denied due to smoke concerns.

By evening, the fire was still out of control. The emergency warning remained. Firefighters from Sydney were driving through the night to help. The injured three were stable. Homes were still burning.