Flames were fanned by hot, gusty winds. In the west of Sydney, the temperature reached 43C, hot enough for a late-model Lexus to catch fire on the M4 freeway, setting off a blaze that raced down a hill, taking out 3ha of grassland, threatening houses, two other cars and a shed.

“All of a sudden the wind died down, it went quiet and then, whoosh, the black smoke suddenly came flying this way and then the flames followed,” Ms [Felicity Blackhall] said, with tears in her eyes. “I had a little bag with my (photo) negatives ready, but it came up so fast there was no time to evacuate.”

Earlier in the day, another fire broke out in a gully at Mount Kuring-gai in Sydney’s northern suburbs, burning behind factories near Gundah Road in the Berowra Valley. Workers from 15 factories were evacuated.

IT was a day of searing temperatures and raging bush fires, of residents trapped in their homes by walls of flames that leaped higher than 10m trees outside.

Rural fire services were called into action across NSW yesterday, battling alongside residents trying desperately to save their homes.

Flames were fanned by hot, gusty winds. In the west of Sydney, the temperature reached 43C, hot enough for a late-model Lexus to catch fire on the M4 freeway, setting off a blaze that raced down a hill, taking out 3ha of grassland, threatening houses, two other cars and a shed.

The startled driver, who leaped from the vehicle, was unhurt.

The incident occurred just after 1pm, shortly before residents of Londonderry, also in Sydney’s west, were trapped by the speed of an advancing fire. Some wanted to flee but were told to stay indoors rather than try to outrun the fires that were approaching the township.

Three sheds, two vehicles and some farm machinery were burned in the blaze that engulfed 110ha. Three people were taken to hospital suffering the effects of smoke inhalation, while 110 firefighters were called in to bring the fire under control.

Mother of two Felicity Blackhall, who lives on Londonderry Road, thought she would lose everything.

“All of a sudden the wind died down, it went quiet and then, whoosh, the black smoke suddenly came flying this way and then the flames followed,” Ms Blackhall said, with tears in her eyes. “I had a little bag with my (photo) negatives ready, but it came up so fast there was no time to evacuate.”

She said she turned to her sons, aged four and 13, and told them to stay indoors and sit on the kitchen floor, and then went outside to battle the wall of flames armed with a garden hose.

“By the time I got outside, the fireys were coming down the street,” she said.

“They did such an incredible job. I’m just so relieved.”

Firefighters yesterday described seeing walls of flame stretching 30m high.

Earlier in the day, another fire broke out in a gully at Mount Kuring-gai in Sydney’s northern suburbs, burning behind factories near Gundah Road in the Berowra Valley. Workers from 15 factories were evacuated.

Firefighters were also battling two bushfires on military sites elsewhere in the state. A fire at a Singleton army firing range had burnt through 400ha, while another at a Richmond Valley bombing range had ravaged 10ha.

NSW was not alone in feeling the heat yesterday. Western Australia also endured sweltering conditions, with temperatures in Perth nudging 40C, while Canberra hit 38C.

Perth is expected to be hot again today, while a cool change was forecast to keep temperatures in Sydney down to 27C. Canberra is expecting 32C.

Credit: Caroline Overington, John Stapleton, Addition reporting: Lauren Wilson