amazing pic - Webcam image from Siding Springs Observatory of fire approaching

& another one! Burnt building next to untouched Observatory main telescope

Homes destroyed in NSW bushfire (report updated 4 mins ago) The New South Wales Rural Fire Service says 14 homes have been lost in a bushfire west of Coonabarabran, which also damaged the Siding Spring Observatory.

The fire in the Warrumbungle National Park in the north-west of the state has burnt out nearly 40,000 hectares and has already forced the evacuation of over 100 residents.

The fire is presently burning in a northerly direction away from Timor Road and is about a kilometre south of Bugaldie.

The Rural Fire Service confirmed this morning that 14 properties had been lost and there could yet be more.

Inspector Brett Lachlan says there are 20 water bombing aircraft and helicopters assisting firefighters.

"We're doing everything we can to try to confirm those losses and get that information to relevant people," he said. (video & pics)

Bushfire starts after drug labs are torched Drug squad detectives have arrested a father and son over two clandestine drug laboratories, after a bushfire swept through Sydney's south-west.

Police believe the laboratories, hidden in remote bushland at Camden and only accessible by foot, had been operating for years.

They say a fire was deliberately lit to destroy the labs last week, sparking a bushfire in the Blue Mountains National Park which destroyed 55 hectares.

A father and son were arrested last night and are accused of making millions of dollars worth of the drug known as ice.

Police say the laboratories were capable of producing five-kilogram batches of the drug. A kilogram is worth up to $2 million.

Detectives began watching the men just before Christmas and had planned to raid the labs last Tuesday, but the hot weather and extreme fire danger stopped them.

The next day, police allege the 27-year-old son started the bushfire when he tried to destroy the drug labs.

"We don't know what tipped them to light the fire," said Acting State Crime Commander Peter Cotter.

"It will be our summation that they obviously became aware of our investigation, we're not sure how that happened."

The bushfire was only completely extinguished last night after six aircraft and ground crews worked on it.