Clyde Mountain fire, near Kings Highway, requires RFS management team

2.44pm: The Clyde Mountain fire was upgraded to 'Watch and Act' on the afternoon of Monday, December 30. This fire is burning in steep terrain not easily accessible to firefighters. Deteriorating conditions are forecast over the coming days with expected high temperatures and strong winds.

Nelligen, Buckenbowra, Mogendoura and Runnyford: Monitor the changing conditions and be prepared to take decisive action.

Batemans Bay, Mogo and villages to the east: Continue to monitor conditions. If yourplan is to leave, leave early. If you are in an area that has already been affected by fire, there may be small areas of active fire burning for some time. Be aware of the dangers of trees and branches falling.

The Kings Highway remains closed.

READ MORE: Sydney strike teams defend Nelligen

10.15am: As weather conditions deteriorate, a second incident management team has been tasked to manage South Coast fires.

On Monday, December 30, northwesterly winds have put pressure on firefighters to contain fire near Nelligen and Batemans Bay.

RFS incident controller Mark Williams said the decision was made for a separate declaration under section 44 of the Rural Fires Act.

The 3500-hectare blaze, burning near the Kings Highway, north-west of Batemans Bay, was renamed the Clyde Mountain Fire on December 29.

He said a team based at Moruya would "staff up" over the coming days and would manage the fire, as well as other blazes in the Eurobodalla Shire.

That included the Araluen Road fire in the Deua River Valley, west of Mogo, which has burnt 109 hectares.

Superintendent Williams said due to the "complexities" of the Kings Highway fire, it would be "advantageous to have its own management structure down there".

The change of name also allowed both teams to deliver warnings and advice to the public in their own areas.

The Currowan fire, north of the Kings Highway up to south of Nowra, has burnt more than 219,000 hectares, and would continue to be managed out of Nowra.

On Monday, there were deteriorating weather conditions and strong north-westerly winds across all fire grounds.

Supt Williams said conditions were "advantageous" for those living north of the Currowan fire, as the north-westerly wind would "make (the fire) slower, pushing it back on itself".

However, northwesterlies would give "significant concern" for fire to move towards Batemans Bay and the southern side of Nelligen.

A total fire ban was declared for Monday.

A strong southerly would put pressure on containment tomorrow, Tuesday afternoon, December 31, Supt Williams said. Firefighters have warned the Currowan fire could jump the Shoalhaven River.

In the northern part of the Currowan fire, firefighters had been backburning for the past week to hold fire to the west of Braidwood Road and and south of Burrier Road.

Supt Williams said the backburn had reached the bottom of Bamarang Reservoir.

He reminded the public to reconsider travel plans to the South Coast.

Check Fires Near Me, Live Traffic and the Bureau of Meteorology for information.

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