On 15 August a bushfire near Bega burned out 2,300 ha (5,700 acres) of inaccessible bushland and threatened properties. Another fire in Budawang National Park near Ulladulla blackened 1,516 ha (3,750 acres) and a third fire near Nowra destroyed outbuildings and forces residents to be evacuated.[4] A firefighter named Alan Tully died on 17 August when his helicopter crashed while combating fires near Ulladulla.[5] A fire started near Salt Ash, north of Newcastle on 18 August and two days later had burnt out 2,000 ha (4,900 acres), on 20 August 70 fires were burning around the state.[6]