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Thousands of firefighters are working tirelessly as catastrophic conditions threaten homes and lives in the east of Australia, including women putting themselves on the front line in what was once considered a male-only job.

There are more than 70 blazes across New South Wales and Queensland with up to 20,000 firefighters battling to stop them spreading.

Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons issued a warning about the danger of the morning ahead on the NSW mid-north coast, with unpredictable winds expected to fuel the flames. 

Pictures: Bushfires rage across NSW

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 13: General view of a destroyed home following bushfire damage on November 13, 2019 in Rainbow Flat, Australia. Catastrophic fire conditions - the highest possible level of bushfire danger - have eased across greater Sydney, Illawarra and Hunter areas thanks to a slight cool change, however dozens of bushfires are still burning. A state of emergency, as declared by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Monday, is still in effect, giving emergency powers to Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons and prohibiting fires across the state. (Photo by Sam Mooy/Getty Images)

'It's very dangerous across active firegrounds,' he said, stressing the danger posed by sudden wind changes.  

'Historically, when men used to be the only firefighters, it was called the "dead man zone" because historically too many firefighters were killed on the northern flanks of fires in wind changes.' 

Among the women on the front line is 24-year-old Amy Pickersgill, an environmental scientist battling fires in Port Macquarie, on the NSW mid-north coast.

  • a boy wearing a hat: 24-year-old Amy Pickersgill (pictured) is an environmental scientist battling fires in Port Macquarie, on the NSW mid-north coast
  • a sunset over a fire: Thousands of firefighters are working tirelessly as catastrophic conditions threaten parts of the country, including women putting themselves on the frontline
  • a person wearing a hat: Ms Pickersgill (pictured) has posted images to Instagram from the frontline, showing how dangerously close she gets to the blaze
  • a person wearing a hat and sunglasses posing for the camera: There are more than 70 blazes across New South Wales and Queensland with up to 20,000 firefighters trying to stop them spreading, including Ms Pickersgill (pictured)
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24-year-old Amy Pickersgill (pictured) is an environmental scientist battling fires in Port Macquarie, on the NSW mid-north coast
2/4 SLIDES © Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited
Thousands of firefighters are working tirelessly as catastrophic conditions threaten parts of the country, including women putting themselves on the frontline
3/4 SLIDES © Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited
Ms Pickersgill (pictured) has posted images to Instagram from the frontline, showing how dangerously close she gets to the blaze
4/4 SLIDES © Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited
There are more than 70 blazes across New South Wales and Queensland with up to 20,000 firefighters trying to stop them spreading, including Ms Pickersgill (pictured)
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Ms Pickersgill has posted a string of images and video to Instagram from the front line.

Another woman, Katherine Robinson-Williams, is battling the flames in Taree.

Ms Robinson-Williams, who is 13 weeks pregnant, took to Instagram to defend her decision to battle the flames and said she 'refuses to stay behind' while the fires continue to rage. 

'For all the females on the ground in NSW right now. We stand together we stand proud! Yes I am a Firefighter,' she wrote on Sunday.

'No I'm not a man. Yes I am a female. Yes I am pregnant. Yes I am going to the fires. And yes I'll be alright. No I won't just stay behind. No I don't care if you don't like it.'

'THIS IS MY STATE IN FLAMES! I love my country I love my mates. And if that means I'm needed on the ground. Then I'll always make the way.' 

a little boy wearing a yellow shirt: Katherine Robinson-Williams (pictured) is fighting on the frontline despite being 13 weeks pregnant © Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited Katherine Robinson-Williams (pictured) is fighting on the frontline despite being 13 weeks pregnant a close up of a fire: 'For all the females on the ground in NSW right now. We stand together we stand proud! Yes I am a Firefighter,' Ms Robinson-Williams wrote © Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited 'For all the females on the ground in NSW right now. We stand together we stand proud! Yes I am a Firefighter,' Ms Robinson-Williams wrote

Angel Newcombe has been a volunteer firefighter with the Rural Fire Service for 13 years and says it's 'one of the best and most fulfilling' things she has done.

She is currently working for the South Bowenfels Brigade serving the community in Lithgow in the NSW Central Tablelands.

Kelly Michelle also volunteers for the Heathcote Rural Fire Service, in southern Sydney and posted a photo on Tuesday to Instagram.

'Prepared if we're needed,' she posted alongside an image in uniform. 

Those fighting the fires in northern NSW will be on edge well into the night, with the strong winds not expected to reach Taree and surrounding areas until closer to midnight. 

  • a person wearing a hat: Angel Newcombe (pictured) has been a volunteer firefighter with the Rural Fire Service for 13 years and says it's 'one of the best and most fulfilling' things she has done
  • a man and a woman taking a selfie: Kelly Michelle (pictured right) also volunteers for the Heathcote Rural Fire Service, in southern Sydney and posted a photo on Tuesday to Instagram
  • a young boy flying a kite in a field: At 7pm on Tuesday there were more than 70 fires burning in both NSW and Queensland with up to 20,000 firefighters trying to stop them spreading
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1/3 SLIDES © Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited
Angel Newcombe (pictured) has been a volunteer firefighter with the Rural Fire Service for 13 years and says it's 'one of the best and most fulfilling' things she has done
2/3 SLIDES © Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited
Kelly Michelle (pictured right) also volunteers for the Heathcote Rural Fire Service, in southern Sydney and posted a photo on Tuesday to Instagram
3/3 SLIDES © Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited
At 7pm on Tuesday there were more than 70 fires burning in both NSW and Queensland with up to 20,000 firefighters trying to stop them spreading
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At 7pm on Tuesday there were more than 70 fires burning in both NSW and Queensland with up to 20,000 firefighters trying to stop them spreading, and the Army preparing to use helicopters to evacuate residents whose lives are at risk. 

Thousands of residents on the NSW mid-north coast have already been told that it is too late to leave their homes.

NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons urged residents to remain vigilant. 

'We have been dealing with fires on the north coast, new fires in other parts of New South Wales, including the Greater Sydney environment, he told reporters just after 5.30pm on Tuesday.

'We need people to remain vigilant and act in accordance with their plan and any guidance provided by the authorities. We still have many hours yet of these strong dry winds to dominate and influence weather and fire behaviour.

  • a group of people playing instruments and performing on a dirt road: The shirts of their back: The three men successful managed to put out the majority of this blaze, but know there is more ahead
  • a group of people standing in front of a store: On guard: NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured on Monday at RFS HQ) officially declared a state of emergency which will last for seven days - as fire chiefs warned the infernos will be too dangerous to put out
  • a person in a yellow jacket: Residents across Sydney and NSW are facing 'catastrophic' conditions on Tuesday as rising temperatures are expected to aggravate bushfires. Pictured: Firefighters tackle wildfires in Taree, 350km north of Sydney on Saturday
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The shirts of their back: The three men successful managed to put out the majority of this blaze, but know there is more ahead
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On guard: NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured on Monday at RFS HQ) officially declared a state of emergency which will last for seven days - as fire chiefs warned the infernos will be too dangerous to put out
3/3 SLIDES © Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited
Residents across Sydney and NSW are facing 'catastrophic' conditions on Tuesday as rising temperatures are expected to aggravate bushfires. Pictured: Firefighters tackle wildfires in Taree, 350km north of Sydney on Saturday
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'We've still got the southerly change expected to move through later tonight, across the fire grounds still burning up in northern New South Wales. We're watching very closely at the fire north of Hawkesbury, in the north of the Hawkesbury area, moving into Putty Road. It's developing a fairly significant smoke column, so we're mindful of the potential for that fire to continue to burn and burn aggressively for some time.'

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian declared a 'state of emergency' on Sunday, handing control over the management of the bushfires to the Rural Fire Service.

What does a state of emergency mean? 

A state of emergency allows emergency services personnel to:

Direct the public to evacuate an area or not enter an area

Order power and gas supplies to be shut off

Shore up or pull down buildings

Enter premises to facilitate the exercise of these powers.

As part of this move, RFS officers have the ability to force people to evacuate at risk areas even if they want to stay and defend their homes.

Sydneysiders woke up to a smoky but calm morning with two infernos - one in the Hawkesbury and another in the Blue Mountains - under control.

But fire bosses warned against complacency and said the fires are likely to spread throughout the day, potentially threatening 100,000 homes around the Harbour City.

'The reality is conditions will simply continue to get worse and deteriorate over the coming hours,' Mr Fitzsimmons said.

'They will continue to strengthen and build ahead of the passage of that cold front that's moving across the state.

'Later on today, we're expecting the southerly to start influencing and driving like a southerly buster up the coastal strip, and more southwesterly-southerly across the ranges and further inland.'

  • a person wearing a helmet: Warning: Fire bosses warned against complacency and said the fires are likely to spread throughout the day. Pictured: A fire near Taree, mid New South Wales on Monday
  • a view of a mountain: Destruction: An aerial view shows burnt bushland near Port Macquarie, with some trees orange and others turned to ash
  • a steam engine train with smoke coming out of it: Officials have advised people to evacuate while they can saying emergency services will not be able to save everyone. Pictured: Flames encroaching a residential street in Harrington, on the Mid North Coast, on Friday
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Warning: Fire bosses warned against complacency and said the fires are likely to spread throughout the day. Pictured: A fire near Taree, mid New South Wales on Monday
2/3 SLIDES © Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited
Destruction: An aerial view shows burnt bushland near Port Macquarie, with some trees orange and others turned to ash
3/3 SLIDES © Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited
Officials have advised people to evacuate while they can saying emergency services will not be able to save everyone. Pictured: Flames encroaching a residential street in Harrington, on the Mid North Coast, on Friday
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While a cool change would normally be seen as good news, meteorologist Rob Sharpe explained the dangers of it to Sky News.

'Any fires burning near the coast will become extremely dangerous as the change arrives as the fire flank will suddenly become the fire front,' Mr Sharpe said.

'We've noticed that at 9am the cool change crossed the Victorian and NSW border slightly ahead of the forecast. 

Adding to the pain for firefighters and residents in at-risk is a distinct lack of rain on the horizon over coming days.

To find out the latest on the NSW and QLD bushfires, please refer to:

  • NSW RFS
  • QRFS

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