NSW: Rain brings relief but plenty of work left for firefighters

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NSW: Rain brings relief but plenty of work left for firefighters

SYDNEY, Dec 10 AAP - Welcome rain fell overnight, helping douse bushfires across NSW,but fire authorities warned the danger had not yet passed.

"It has quietened down a fair bit with this rain, but it is still not over yet," saidRural Fire Service (RFS) spokesman John Winter.

"We have got to do a few things yet to ensure the fires don't flare up again so thereis no opportunity for complacency."

More than 20mm of rain fell across the NSW south coast in the last 12 hours, dampeningthe flames in the Shoalhaven and Eurobodalla areas.

"That's not enough to put the fires out, but it is enough to keep them contained andgive the firefighters a bit of a break," Mr Winter said.

"It is welcome just being able to stand some crews down to allow them to go back totheir normal jobs for a few days."

But the rain did not fall statewide - a mere 1mm fell across the Sydney metropolitanarea despite the apparent constant drizzle.

Mr Winter warned fires still brewed in large tree stumps which would continue to burnand could easily spark again when the temperatures heated up and the land dried out.

More than 57 fires continue to burn across the state but more than half are contained.

Around 1,000 firefighters will spend the day patrolling the fire lines, securing containmentand mopping up after the devastating fires.

Rain is expected to continue to fall on the south coast throughout the day, but itis feared further north will receive no rain at all.

Mr Winter said the firefighters were very grateful for the rain but added that themoisture removed the preventative method of backburning.

"It will remove backburning as an option for us and backburning is still the most importantway to control the fires," he said.

"The winds will be quite strong today, but the mixture in these conditions, with sucha high level of moisture, (mean they should not prove a threat)."

For the first time since December 1, total fire bans will be lifted in NSW, Mr Winter said.

AAP cg/nf/rs

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES NSW SECOND DAYLEAD