The ferocious fire front shut the Hunter Expressway between Wine Country Drive (Branxton) and the John Renshaw exit, threatened properties, and water bombing aircraft had to be deployed.

Mr Siemsen is based at the Hunter Valley Control Fire Centre near Bulga and says they received the call for assistance at about 3.20pm.

“We sent three Cat 3 vehicles which are our larger trucks and Darlington’s Cat 9,” he explains.

“They were originally tasked to protect property but then assisted in fire fighting operations.”

He says they were relieved of their duties “just past midnight”.

The experienced inspector says we were “lucky” a similar incident did not occur here.

However, the threat has not passed.

“If these weather conditions persist, and it is predicted they will, it will only be a matter of time before there is an ignition in our area because the grass is curing off so quickly,” he says.

“So residents must remain vigilant, prepare their properties,  and have a survival plan. It is going to be a late fire season; we have not seen this kind of potential threat in the area since 2013.”

He attributes this to the extreme weather conditions – heat, wind and low humidity –  and volume of dry grass in the Singleton and Muswellbrook LGA’s.

“Grassfires spread quickly and often catch people unawares,” Inspector Siemsen warns.