The latest bulletin from RFS Mid North Coast, issued yesterday (Wednesday) at 8.30pm said that "the fire is now over 1500 hectares in size and reached the Bellingen River near Woods Camp in the afternoon".
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Firefighters spent the day yesterday strengthening containment lines, carrying out property protection works and monitoring fire activity.
A spokesman for the RFS MidNorthCoast Team said little had changed so far today and the six crews (from RFS and NPWS) working on the fire today would be focusing on the same jobs.
"Containment is what we are looking at," he said.
"There has been more activity, which is why people are seeing more smoke and the winds are predicted to pick up during the day, as they did yesterday, but they are not from the west.
"This fire is sitting on the ridges, so any wind affects it - it is unpredictable but at this stage there is no direct threat to property from the fire."
For Mark Graham, who along with others in the Upper Thora remains at his home to fight whatever comes, it is an anxious waiting game.
"The fire is only about nine kilometres from my house and it is sitting on a ridge above very steep dry country - it is a matter of 'when' not 'if' this fire arrives," Mark said.
"It is just so dry that even water bombing or RAFT crews, things that were historically valuable tools, are no longer going to stop this."
As he speaks the sound of wompoo pigeons comes through the phone: "There are a few of them here enjoying the tamarinds - I am looking for any glimmers of silver in the phenomenal intensity of this."
The RFS said the fire is expected to continue to grow to the containment lines over the next several days to cover around 2500 hectares.
The advice for people living in the areas of Bishops Creek, Darkwood and Thora is to prepare their properties for bushfire if they have not already done so.