Australians spared mega-fire

PART NINE NETWORK - NO ACCESS AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND / PAPUA NEW GUINEA / AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, PAPUA NEW GUINEA-BASED INTERNET SITES, MOBILE PLATFORMS OR SITES OF MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS BASED IN THOSE COUNTRIES, NVO CLIENTS / SMH.COM.AU / NEWS.COM.AU

More than 2, 000 fire-fighters were battling the bushfires of New South Wales on Wednesday.

But they were spared the worsening weather conditions that could have created catastrophic fire storm conditions.

The state's fire chief said some of the residents warned to flee their homes could return later in the day.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW SOUTH WALES RURAL FIRE SERVICE COMMISSIONER, SHANE FITZSIMMONS, SAYING:

"If you've been someone that has chosen to depart the Blue Mountains today and head to Penrith to relocate, have a cup of tea and be out of harms way, then it would be save to head back home tonight because the risk has been averted."

Some residents have been telling how they grabbed just the cruci