State of emergency declared as bushfire conditions worsen

By Rick Feneley, Judith Whelan
Updated October 21 2013 - 8:19am, first published 7:00am
Firefighters tackle a bushfire at Winmalee in the Blue Mountains, NSW. Photo by Janie Barrett
Firefighters tackle a bushfire at Winmalee in the Blue Mountains, NSW. Photo by Janie Barrett
State of emergency: firefighters tackle a bushfire at Winmalee in the Blue Mountains. Photo: Janie Barrett
State of emergency: firefighters tackle a bushfire at Winmalee in the Blue Mountains. Photo: Janie Barrett
Emergency declared: An RFS team on the Bells Line of Road near Mt Victoria on Sunday. Photo: Dean Sewell
Emergency declared: An RFS team on the Bells Line of Road near Mt Victoria on Sunday. Photo: Dean Sewell

Hundreds of thousands of people face a growing bushfire calamity, with the entire Blue Mountains area as well as Penrith and Richmond in danger of burning over the next few days.