A fire at Springwood was elevated to the highest emergency level after being fanned by strong winds. Source: AAP
THE worst of the unparalleled fire risk faced by the Blue Mountains has been averted as it emerged army explosives training started the massive blaze which has threatened thousands of homes and lives.
The Rural Fire Service (RFS) said an investigation had found the Department of Defence training exercise last week was responsible for causing the State Mine blaze near Lithgow which has burnt out more than 46,000 hectares and sparked fears of turning into a "mega-fire".
"The investigation has concluded the fire started as a result of exploding ordinances on the range on (last) Wednesday," a RFS spokesman said.
But the department would not confirm its responsibility on Wednesday, only repeating it was investigating the exercise on army land at Marrangaroo.
After the anticipated dire conditions arrived in the mountains and the Hunter region on Wednesday, RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said high risk strategies from firefighters had paid off.
"We have seen today, and indeed building throughout the week, one of the most significant threats to the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury communities that is unparalleled," he said.
"Never before have we seen the extent of damage and destruction and wide scale fire activity at this time of the year."
But, late on Wednesday afternoon, he followed that with words the hundreds of Blue Mountains residents who had left their homes had been hoping to hear.
"It would be safe to head back home tonight because the risk has been averted," he said.
Only one fire, near Gateshead at Lake Macquarie, remained subject to an emergency alert early on Wednesday evening.
Mr Fitzsimmons said the Gateshead fire was now burning right through the middle of the two towns it had initially threatened - Redhead and Dudley.
As hot and windy conditions began to ease on Wednesday afternoon, a major blaze at Minmi that closed the M1 near Newcastle and caused the evacuation of two schools was also downgraded to watch and act.
The Springwood blaze in the Blue Mountains, which had showered homes with embers as strong winds sprang up earlier on Wednesday has also been downgraded.
After all schools in the Blue Mountains were closed on Wednesday, only a select few will be closed on Thursday.
Mr Fitzsimmons said he was surprised backburning in the Blue Mountains had held out in the extreme fire conditions.
Authorities are preparing for a south westerly change on Thursday that will bring lower temperatures but could still pose a risk to some communities.
"It has the very real potential to present new challenges and particularly in the northern end of the Winmalee Springwood fire where you could see ... that fire could pose threats tomorrow to communities in the Yarramundi Valley area and communities up through Grose Valley and communities to the north east," Mr Fitzsimmons said.
He warned there was still a lot of difficult and dangerous firefighting ahead, possibly for weeks.
Premier Barry O'Farrell lauded the "magnificent planning and preparation" of the emergency services which helped avert the worst.
As of 6pm on Wednesday, there were still 73 fires burning in NSW and 29 uncontained blazes, but no further loss to property.
While the risk was averted, fire activity throughout the day instilled fear in many communities.
Minmi Hotel kitchen manager and chef Sharon Wilson was holed up inside the hotel waiting for instructions from firefighters during the day.
"We've been spraying the pub down and the grass around it," she told AAP.
"There's a lot of embers and ash flying over us."
Two schools were also evacuated in the Minmi area.
Springwood resident Rae Tebbutt said the atmosphere in the normally carefree community was tense.
"Everyone is terrified. I've got three friends who have lost everything," she told AAP.
Ten public schools in the Blue Mountains will remain closed on Thursday.
"The wide scale nature of school closures today will not continue tomorrow simply because the risk for those areas will not be as widespread and will not affect the broad area of the Blue Mountains," Mr Fitzsimmons said.
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