Residents in and around Drake, in the Tenterfield shire, received welcome news from the Rural Fire Service on Sunday afternoon: the Long Gully Road Fire was finally declared OUT.
The fire reportedly burnt more than 74,000ha of bush and farm land, destroyed 44 homes, damaged a further 22 and killed elderly residents Gwen Hyde and Bob Lindsey.
A lightening strike sparked the flames nearly two months ago, on 5 September.
More than a thousand firefighters fought the fire, including volunteers from interstate, and the RFS said dozens of aircraft were used as part of fire-fighting efforts.
Firefighters managed to save 300 homes from the fire.
Volunteer fire-fighters still busy
Meanwhile, while there were no total fire bans declared for today, Monday 28 October, the RFS last night said there were another 76 bush or grass fires still burning across NSW, all at the Advice alert level.
More than 820 firefighters were working to contain 43 out-of-control fires.
By Monday morning, there were six fires listed between the Richmond Valley and Tweed shires.
The Busbys Flat Road fire near Rappville, south of Casino, was under control after having burnt more than 50,000 hectares to date.
A smaller fire near Tuckerbox Road, also in the Richmond Valley shire, had burnt five hectares and was under control.
In the Ballina shire, the Wardell Road fire was still burning but was under control.
Further inland in Kyogle, the Duck Creek Road fire was under control while in the Tenterfield shire, volunteers were working to contain a fire near Skyes Gap road that had burnt more than six hundred hectares.
Another fire in Dungay on the Tweed was under control.
The RFS said there was a Very High fire danger forecast for the North Western and Northern Slopes areas and a High fire danger for many parts of NSW.
The public was reminded to stay up to date, check & know local fire dangers and to have a bush fire plan.
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