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Alex Mitchell

Residents come to terms with devastation of bushfire

Lee and Warren Bulloch's home survived the Koolewong fire but their neighbours' house was destroyed. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)

A waterside town is assessing the damage of a devastating bushfire, with those spared destruction feeling "blessed".

An inferno at Koolewong, on the NSW Central Coast, required more than 250 firefighters and razed 16 homes in an hour at its peak on Saturday.

More than three dozen homes have been destroyed in the past week after blazes in Tasmania and NSW, including one that claimed a firefighter's life.

Residents Lee and Warren Bulloch and RFS Commissioner Trent Curtin speak to media. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP VIDEO)

In a stark reminder of bushfires' scattered footprints, Lee Bulloch's house escaped damage but her next-door neighbours were not as fortunate.

“She was standing in the middle of the railway line watching her house burn down,” she said.

“(We feel) very blessed, when you see the devastation of those and some of the stories of some of the people, it's just awful.”

Legal Aid representatives will be in the area on Friday to help the 920-person community navigate insurance claims, tenancy rights and government payment claims.

Lawyer Ma’ata Solofoni said it could lessen the load on victims - now and down the road.

“(We) prevent matters from becoming over-complicated if it's not dealt with correctly at the beginning,” she told AAP.

“Particularly around insurance, it can be a fairly drawn-out process if it's not dealt with correctly at the beginning.

"We know from our experience that not a lot of people are in the right headspace to deal with complicated matters like that.”

A bushfire destroys homes on the Central Coast (file image)
The Koolewong bushfire on the Central Coast has left many residents devastated. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)

Fire services have warned of complacency after reduced activity in recent years and Ms Solofoni urged people to consider their insurance cover before blazes erupt.

“People don't really understand what they've been paying for,” she told AAP.

"Often, the first time they've engaged with their insurer is after a disaster.

“It's not an ideal time, because they're traumatised and trying to understand a big deal of information."

Disaster assistance funding, including for clothing and other essentials, has been activated in several fire-affected parts of NSW and Tasmania.

Remains of a home destroyed on the Central Coast
Trauma, grief and other mental health issues can last long after the bushfires, psychologists warn. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)

Psychologists say more can be done to support survivors and first responders' mental health including reinstating disaster-responsive Medicare item numbers.

“We know all forms of natural disaster, especially bushfires, can trigger trauma, grief, anxiety and other serious mental health issues and these impacts prevail long after the flames are out,” the Australian Association of Psychologists executive director Tegan Carrison said.

All 46 remaining bushfires across NSW sat at advice level on Wednesday afternoon as mild and wetter conditions took hold in the state's east.

Rural Fire Service commissioner Trent Curtin warned high temperatures were drying fuel loads and creating disastrous conditions.

“If we don't see rain in the next few weeks, we will continue to see very dangerous and elevated fire danger across the state,” he said.

NSW Premier Chris Minns meets RFS volunteers
Premier Chris Minns met with firefighters who battled the fast-moving Koolewong inferno. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)

Investigations into the cause of the Koolewong blaze are ongoing but, in an update on Wednesday, police suggested they had not found any evidence it was deliberately lit.

NSW Premier Chris Minns and federal Emergency Minister Kristy McBain were among several leaders who attended the area on Wednesday morning.

The RFS released its final statement relating to the Koolewong blaze, stating an evacuation centre at the nearby Gosford RSL would close and small generators would be available to borrow for people affected.

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