A couple who moved from Bermuda to Australia were prepared to flee their home yesterday as bushfires burnt across New South Wales.

Anne Wilson said she and her husband, former Mid-Ocean News editor Bob Wilson, and their neighbours in Oberon, New South Wales, had already packed their vehicles with essentials in case they needed to escape the fires.

She said: “If you look at rural fire maps for New South Wales, you see extensive areas of uncontrolled fire adjacent to Bathurst, our closest big town, and the Blue Mountains.

“The entire state has been declared a national disaster area.

“The shifting winds have blown smoke back and forth from the fires as far away as the Central Coast and as close as Ginkin — a settlement of a few scattered farms — which is just over the hill.”

Mrs Wilson said many homes in Oberon, a small farming and forestry town of about 2,500 people, were equipped to deal with small fires.

She said: “Personal fire equipment of hoses and small water tanks are ready on most properties.

“In early December a chance spark ignited pastures on a neighbouring property and four locals had the fire under control before the helicopters and fire brigade arrived.

“There is very good minute-by-minute internet information available on all fire fronts and communities look out for each other.”

Mrs Wilson added that roads to the town through the Blue Mountains had been “closed or compromised” by fire and smoke.

She said: “This means travel can only be of an essential nature. Christmas plans had to be put on hold.”

Mr and Mrs Wilson lived in Bermuda for eight years more than 40 years ago before they left the island for Australia, where they settled to raise a family.

They retired to their Oberon farm 20 years ago.

Eastern Australia has been blanketed in smoke for weeks because of hundreds of major bush fires — including a dozen “emergency-level” blazes in New South Wales and Victoria.

The fires started in September and high temperatures, strong winds and lightning strikes have worsened the problem.

Millions of hectares have been destroyed and at least 12 people have lost their lives.

Several popular vacation spots along the east coast have been cut off by fires and the main road in the region — the Princes Highway — has been closed.

The Australian military is sending helicopters, planes and ships to help the affected areas and assist with evacuations.