Close to 30 fires were burning across NSW on Thursday as the southern part of the state - including the ACT- was lashed with hot, gale-force winds.
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A five-hectare grass fire shut down the Princes Highway at Turlinjah, south of Batemans Bay on the south coast.
Traffic was shut off in both directions from midday as crews grappled to bring the blaze under control.
Cars are banked up for several kimometres at Trunketabella pic.twitter.com/4keTijEurH
— Emily Barton (@E94Barton) November 26, 2015
Drivers heading in that direction were warned to delay their trip or avoid the area completely as no suitable diversion was available.
Residents reported witnessing traffic banked up.
The highway reopened shortly after 2pm.
Crews gaining upper hand on fire at Turlinjah near Tuross Head (Eurobodolla). Fire downgraded to Advice as threat eases. #NSWRFS #nswfires
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) November 26, 2015
Fire broke out on the Monaro Highway between Canberra and Cooma shortly after midday as well.
Local Rural Fire Service crews quickly brought the one-hectare bush blaze under control.
The fire on the outskirts of Bredbo was not believed to have caused any traffic issues.
Closer to home, the hot, hair dryer-like winds kept emergency services on their toes.
A suspicious grass fire which flared up on Wednesday night on Canberra's Constitution Avenue was quickly doused by crews, including a couple of quick-thinking cops wielding a fire extinguisher.