Rural Fire Service crews from Young, Gundagai and Harden regions joined local brigades to fight the fire that destroyed buildings, fences, farm machinery, livestock and yet to be harvested crops.

The full cost of the fire is expected to run into the millions of dollars.

Also joining the battle were aircraft from Cootamundra, Cowra Forbes and Scone which used the Cootamundra Airport as a base to fill tanks with up to 3000 litres of water and foam mix and fire bomb hot spots.

At the height of the fire residents from farmhouses were evacuated and all road and train traffic stopped as the fire rating was listed as ‘catastrophic’.

Residents in and around Wallendbeen, Harden and Cootamundra were asked to immediately activate their bush fire survival plans.

The swirling, strong winds played havoc with firefighters and after authorities were notified of the fire at 11.30am, which headed toward the Cullinga district before a wind change saw the fire burn back towards Wallendbeen, Harden and Wombat.

There were several fire fronts, the largest being six kilometres long, making controlling the fire for on-ground and aerial firefighters very difficult.

A change in the weather later in the evening, accompanied by some light rain eased conditions.

“Fire crews will be in the area for the next few days mopping up,” said RFS Southwest Slopes Zone Superindendent Trevor Reeves.