Pictured: The brave volunteer, 24, who was struck by a burning tree as she fought her first bushfire
A female firefighter, who was hit by a burning tree branch in western Sydney as a ferocious blaze threatened lives and homes, was responding to her first major incident.
Rural Fire Service volunteer Nadia Knox was among the 300 firefighters who protected 55 homes from the fast-moving bushfire at Londonderry, north of Penrith, in hot and windy conditions on Sunday.
The 24-year-old woman was hit by a burning tree branch which fell from 8 metres above her, RFS spokseman John Redman told Yahoo7.
She suffered a fractured right shoulder and has since been released Nepean Hospital. She is now in the care of her family.
Ms Knox joined the Loftus brigade, from the Sutherland area, one year ago and Sunday was her first time responding to a major incident, Mr Redman said.
She was taken to Nepean Hospital for treatment and has since been released.
Mr Redman said she is in good spirits.
The scorching blaze tore through 400 hectares and residents were earlier told that it was “too late to evacuate”.
The fire has since been downgraded to “watch and act”.
Londonderry residents in Fourth Avenue, Spence Road, Llandilo Road and Mayo Road were allowed to return to their homes as conditions eased on Sunday night, a NSW Rural Fire Service statement said.
Miraculously only a garden shed was damaged in the blaze.
The fire, which started about 11.30am on Sunday, is the second large blaze to hit the area this month.
The flames were fanned by an average wind speed of 30km/h, but gusts of up to 50km/h were detected in the area.
The bushfire had also completely restricted Northern Road traffic and threatening to destroy Castlereagh Nature Reserve, north of Penrith.
Heavy duty aerial waterbombing aircrafts, "Southern Belle", a DC-10, and "Thor", fought the thick smoke billows over the city's west late into the day.
Referring to the ongoing bushfire threat, Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Sarah Chadwick said strong winds were expected to continue throughout the afternoon.
On November 4 a fire allegedly started by a 16-year-old boy in the neighbouring suburb of Llandilo destroyed one home, damaged several properties and burnt across 300 hectares.
Meanwhile, patients at the Nepean Hospital were also evacuated on Sunday following another fire caused by machinery in an engine room.
A spokesman for the NSW Fire Service confirmed that the fire was put out with a small extinguisher and patients have since returned to the hospital.
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