The Racecourse Road fire in Cessnock has remained at an Advice level and is being controlled by fire crews.

The fire has now burned through 892 hectares of bushland.

Keep updated with the Fires Near Me website.

Rolling coverage of the Hunter bushfires can be found here.

Racecourse Road residents spoke to Fairfax Media on Sunday. Read their story here.

6.12PM SUNDAY

This will be our last update for the night. Please stay tuned to NSW Rural Fire Service's Fires Near Me page for updates.

The following is an update from the Rural Fire Service:

A south-westerly change has moved across the fire ground however the fire is still burning behind the areas of Abernethy and Kitchener.

Residents of Abernethy and Kitchener are advised to monitor the conditions and take advice from firefighters on the ground.

Firefighters remain on scene and continue to be supported by aircraft.

Kearsley residents are advised to continue to monitor the situation.

Local schools with the exception of Kitchener Public School will be open tomorrow. Kitchener Public School will be closed for the safety of staff and students.

And from Live Traffic NSW:

Lake Road has closed in Kearsley (near Cessnock) in both directions between Leggetts Drive and Allandale Street due to a bushfire.

You can get around this closure by using Cessnock Road but exercise caution.

Visit https://www.livetraffic.com for updates.

5.40PM SUNDAY

The Cessnock bushfire is currently at ‘watch and act’ status.

Firefighters remain on scene and continue to be supported by aircraft.

Firefighters are conducting backburning operations around Aberdare, Kearsley and Kitchener.

Residents of these suburbs should monitor conditions and take advice from firefighters on the ground.

Quorrobolong Road has residents-only access from Kitchener to Cessnock.

A backburning operation temporarily closed Lake Road at Kearsley but the road has since re-opened.

5:25pm:

Word has come through from the Rural Fire Service that the Racecourse Road fire at Cessnock is at Watch and Act status. 

A south westerly change has moved across the fire ground, however the fire is still burning behind the areas of Abernethy and Kitchener.

Residents in those areas are advised to monitor the conditions and take advice from firefighters on the ground.

Kearsley residents are also advised to continue to monitor the situation.

5:15pm: 

Bushfire near Cessnock has cut power to about 1350 customers in parts of Ellalong, Paxton, Millfield and surrounding areas. Ausgrid crews working to inspect transmission lines and restore when safe. 

2:25pm SUNDAY 

An emergency warning has just been issued for residents in the Abernethy and Kitchener areas. 

An emergency alert message is being sent to phones in the area.

Because of strengthening winds and an increase in fire activity, residents are being advised it is too late to leave and they should shelter in place. 

Kearsley residents are advised to continue to monitor the situation

12.30pm SUNDAY

The Cessnock fire at Racecourse Rd has been upgraded to Watch and Act due to strengthening winds and an increase in fire activity.

Residents of Kitchener and Kearsley are advised they may be impacted by smoke and embers.

Residents along Quorrobolong Road are advised they may be affected by fire.  Residents are advised to continue to monitor the situation.

10:30am SUNDAY 

Winds have started to pick up in the Cessnock area, according to Weatherzone Meteorologist Kim Westcott. 

They are now gusting up to 37 kilometres an hour in a north westerly direction until a southerly change moves in from around midday. 

Temperatures are expected to climb to up to 29 degrees on the fire ground at Cessnock today, while firefighters battling the Lone Pine fire will be contending with temperatures of up to 27 degrees and similar gusty winds. 

Conditions are dry – with humidity of around 25 to 30 per cent – and the winds are not expected to ease until this evening. 

8.15AM SUNDAY

The Cessnock bushfire was downgraded to ‘watch and act’ level last night and has now burned 515 through 515 hectares of bushland from South Cessnock through to Kearsley.

Crews have started backburning in a number of areas in an effort to start controlling the fire.

This morning crews will assess the success of these burns and identify containment lines.

Currently there is no property at threat however residents are advised to continue to monitor the situation and be on the lookout for burning embers.

Building Impact Assessment teams will be on the fireground today to assess any property that has been damaged.

A fire at Heddon Greta last night is under control and has been downgraded to ‘advice’.

6.20PM SATURDAY

The Racecourse Road fire has flared up and is close to homes around Aberdare, Kearsley, Kitchener and Abernethy.

Firefighters are working in streets around the bushland to protect homes including around Vincent Street and Jeffries Street at Cessnock, Cessnock Street at Aberdare, and in north Kitchener.

Motorists are advised to avoid using Lake Road, Kearsley Road and Abernethy Street.

Another fire has broken out on Young Street, Heddon Greta and is at ‘watch and act’ level.

Stay tuned to the NSW Rural Fire Service’s ‘Fires Near Me’ page for updates throughout the evening.

4.20PM SATURDAY

Firefighters and aircraft are continuing to battle the large bushfire at South Cessnock.

Crews are also protecting nearby properties, with about 50 homes are still under threat.

A number of residents have chosen to evacuate from their homes after receiving the emergency warning from the Rural Fire Service. 

Blazes have also been reported on Wine Country Drive, Cessnock, and Heaton Road, Olney in the past half an hour. More than 50 fires are burning across the state.

Cessnock Toyota Stadium on Mount View Road has been set up as an emergency evacuation centre.

3.13PM SATURDAY

An out-of-control bushfire has burned through 180 hectares of bushland around South Cessnock on Saturday afternoon.

Rural Fire Service Inspector Ben Shepherd said residents around Racecourse Road, Vincent Street, Evans Street and nearby are being advised to leave if the path is clear, and seek shelter if it is not.

He said firefighters and aircraft are on the scene and are protecting homes as the situation unfolds.

The fire started near in bushland near Cessnock Racecourse around midday on Saturday.

As the wind changed it moved swiftly to South Cessnock, and is now burning towards Aberdare and Kearsley.

Residents in nearby properties, including Bellbird Heights to the west received an emergency warning from the RFS, and some have chosen to evacuate.

2.13PM SATURDAY

People in the area around Racecourse Road, Cessnock are being urged to leave now if it is safe to do so.

A large bush fire burning in the area is out of control and moving fast in today’s strong winds.

Firefighters and aircraft are on scene and are protecting homes.

The Rural Fire Service urges people in the area of Racecourse Road and surrounding areas to leave now if the path is clear.

If the path is not clear, people should seek shelter as the fire impacts and protect yourself from the heat of the fire.

1.51PM SATURDAY

An emergency warning has been issued for a bushfire on Racecourse Road, Cessnock on Saturday afternoon.

The fire has burnt about 30 hectares and is generating large amounts of smoke.

Firefighters from NSW Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue are currently on scene protecting homes.

People in homes along Racecourse Road are being advised to be aware of burning embers and to check and follow their bush fire survival plan.

If your plan is to leave, or you are not prepared, leave early.

Well prepared and actively defended homes can offer safety during the fire.

The RFS is set to issue another update at 2pm Saturday.

Another fire was reported in Cessnock Street, Cessnock around 1.45pm.

On Friday night, blazes broke out near The Vines Estate in Cessnock and Bowditch Avenue, Loxford.