Twelve CFA units and the firefighting helicopter were called to a grass fire at Triangle Road, Newbridge yesterday afternoon. 

Fire crews from nearby towns rushed to the site to help extinguish the fire, which destroyed more than 50 hectares before it was contained.

District 20 operations officer Peter Taylor said if the wind had changed the fire could have spread further. 

“The fire started when a man was driving around in his car through long grass,” he said. 

“We are very unhappy and would remind people to be careful during this fire season.”

Mr Taylor warned residents that due to the dry conditions and hot weather in the region it was important for people to be careful this summer.

“A lot of CFA volunteers are on holidays and many residents in the area are also on holiday, so people need to be careful.”

Fire crews also battled a small grassfire in Strathfieldsaye caused by a ride-on mower just after midday yesterday.

Three CFA and three DSE units contained the fire in 15 minutes before it spread to a nearby creek.

“The crews did well. All their training came to the fore,” Strathfieldsaye CFA Lieutenant Don Mitchell said.

He said the operator of the mower was not at fault.

“It’s just one of those things. There was no danger to public or to any property.”

Near Marong, four fire trucks attended a grass fire about 2pm after a wheel fell off a truck and caught fire.

The fire took more than an hour to put out and burnt about half a hectare of grassland.

At Longlea about 7.05pm six fire trucks attended a grass fire at Murphy Lane which burnt 0.8 hectare. 

CFA operations officer Chris Jacobson urged residents to consider the risks of using machinery and equipment in hot, dry conditions.