5.58pm: Almost all of the children at the Kindy Patch childcare centre at Medowie have been picked up by their parents.
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Police have confirmed the fire is still being contained but there is the threat of an ember attack on nearby homes.
At this point there is no active fire front.
5.39pm: A small fire has ignited on Masonite Road at Heatherbrae.
Firefighters are enroute.
MINMI BUSH FIRE:
The M1 has been reopened to southbound traffic but northbound lanes remain closed.
The Minmi fire has been downgraded to Watch and Act.
MEDOWIE FIRE:
The fire has been contained and no evacuations have taken place.
Police and firefighters are patrolling surrounding streets to ensure embers do not start other fires nearby.
Medowie Road has been impacted by smoke but the road remains open.
Motorists are advised to take care when driving around that area.
5.18pm: Police have confirmed there are 20 children inside the Kindy Patch childcare centre at South Street in Medowie.
Police said the centre had been impacted by smoke but was not under direct threat from fire at this stage.
They said it was safer to keep the children inside at the centre instead of allowing parents to pick up the children.
There is a potential ember attack on the eastern side of Medowie Road.
Some RFS crews are patrolling that area while others fight the fire.
The fire is moving along the western side of Medowie Road towards homes.
Newcastle Airport has not been impacted by the fire at Heatherbrae and is operating as normal.
Passengers are advised to allow extra travel time to the airport.
5.04pm: There is a fire burning on both sides of the childcare centre at Medowie.
Police are enroute to help children at the facility which is called Kindy Patch.
A fire is burning across the road and there is another blaze behind the centre.
Firefighters are on scene and have said the centre is not in immediate danger.
The centre will be evacuated.
4.55pm: Firefighters are enroute to a bushfire at Medowie that is close to a childcare centre.
The fire is in bushland on Sylvan Avenue.
Trees and paddocks are alight.
All children are accounted for and are inside.
The Pacific Highway has been reopened to southbound traffic at Heatherbrae.
It remains closed to northbound traffic.
Evacuation centres have been set up at Redhead Surf Club, Redhead Bowling Club, Charlestown Leagues Club and Wallsend Diggers Club.
Residents are advised to take their pets with them.
4.41pm: The RFS have confirmed that the Heatherbrae fire that has shut down the Pacific Highway is the same one that was ignited on October 13 and spread to Tomago, Williamtown, Medowie and southern Raymond Terrace.
At this stage the fire is not under control.
Motorists trying to detour around road closures should look out for a three car accident on Raymond Terrace Road.
No-one is injured.
Police are on scene.
Traffic is not flowing freely.
Parts of Dudley have been evacuated as the fire moves closer to residential streets.
RFS advises residents to leave if it is safe to do so.
4.18pm: The RFS have advised there is a scrub fire near Elizabeth Avenue in Raymond Terrace which is near the Pacific Highway at Heatherbrae.
Elizabeth Avenue is near Boomerang Park and the Muree Golf Course at Raymond Terrace.
At this stage the fire is not impacting the Pacific Highway.
Police are organising for the traffic light timing along Adelaide Street to be extended for motorists travelling north and south.
They hope this will assist with moving traffic through the township.
4.09pm: A grass fire has started on the Pacific Highway at Heatherbrae.
Traffic is being diverted off the Pacific Highway.
Northbound traffic is being diverted onto Adelaide Street at Raymond Terrace.
Southbound traffic is being diverted onto Richardson Road.
The latest update has advised that fire is travelling into residential areas and could impact on homes along Benjamin Lee Drive.
3.56pm:
MINMI FIRE: Residents wanting to leave can still do so if there path is clear.
At this stage the fire has not crossed the M1.
Firefighters are monitoring the situation.
There is heavy traffic on Maitland Road at Sandgate because of the closure of the M1.
DUDLEY FIRE: Some residents in Dudley have already been evacuated.
RFS crews have ensured that the Heatherbrae bushfire, which flared up in some parts today, has been contained.
3.39pm: About 15 children are being kept at Redhead School Hall as a precaution.
Parents are urged not to pick up their kids due to fire activity on local roads.
There is heavy traffic on Maitland Road between Sandgate and Hexham due to closure of the M1 Pacifici Motorway (F3) at Seahampton.
HEATHERBRAE:
Firefighters are continuing to monitor affected bushland around Heatherbrae to ensure another fire does not start.
Several crews are at the scene mopping any remnants of the fire out. Smoke is visible in the area.
If you see a fire call triple-0
3.15pm: Firefighters are doing property protection at Dudley.
They have set up near the Dudley Oval.
The fire is intense, according to firefighters at the scene.
3.06pm: Dudley Public School has been evacuated because of the Gateshead fire.
An emergency text has gone out to Dudley and Redhead residents.
They are advised to be aware of fire updates.
Extra firefighters have been sent to Redhead to protect homes in Dudley and Redhead.
Some of these firefighters have gone from the Minmi bushfire because the situation has eased.
Newcastle City Council's Summerhill Waste Management Centre has been closed as a precautionary measure due to fires in the area.
2.55pm: Fire crews have positioned themselves at the oval in Woodford Street at Minmi to protect the town from the bushfire.
Police have increased their patrols of bush fire affected areas to ensure another fire does not start.
GATESHEAD FIRE:
Residents in Redhead and Dudley have been urged to seek shelter as the Gateshead fire impacts.
The fire has jumped Redhead Road and is heading towards Redhead.
Firefighters are trying to protect properties under threat.
Residents have been urged to put their bush fire survival plan in place.
2.33pm: Police have advised that parents who have not picked up their children from Bishop Tyrell College can collect them from Federal Park in Wallsend.
Firefighters have so far managed to save homes in the path of the Minmi bush fire.
The fire is still moving towards the M1 and Minmi.
Six fire crews are on scene at the Gateshead fire.
Police have closed Oakdale Road.
No properties are believed to be in danger at this point.
RFS firefighters have said the Minmi bush fire is not spreading as quickly as they initially thought.
They said there is still the potential for the fire to jump across the M1 and put more properties at risk.
2.23pm: There is a fire on the Fernleigh Track at Gateshead.
At this stage it is moving east towards Redhead Road.
If you are travelling north on the M1 you will be diverted off the motorway at the Cardiff exit.
2.11pm: The grass fire near McMullins Road at East Branxton is under control.
Firefighters are still on scene extinguishing the fire, but it is no longer considered an emergency.
There are another two fires burning near Mellong on Putty Road.
Motorists travelling along the Putty Road should take care.
The fire is burning in the vicinity of Tinda Creek.
1.45pm: The RFS has just advised residents living in Minmi and along or near Lenaghans Drive to activate their bushfire survival plan.
They advise people to evacuate immediately if they are not prepared.
Motorists are urged to avoid travelling to Minmi unless it is absolutely essential.
The only way into the town is through Newcastle Road and traffic is banked up for several kilometres.
Most of the students at Bishop Tyrell Anglican College have been evacuated.
Minmi Public School students have been evacuated to a community centre.
POWER OUT IN BRANXTON:
About 380 homes in Branxton have lost power because of a nearby fire.
About 20 homes in Stockrington near the Minmi bush fire have also lost power.
Ausgrid crews are waiting for the area to become safe before they begin repairs.
1.40pm: The M1 is closed in both directions between Beresfield and Seahampton.
It is closed northbound at George Booth Drive in Seahampton and southbound at the John Renshaw Drive roundabout in Beresfield.
Southbound motorists wanting to access the Motorway are advised to use Maitland Road, Wallsend Road and Newcastle Link Road.
The Transport Management Centre has said that motorists travelling in both directions are advised to avoid all non-essential travel as the situation continues to change quickly.
The RFS has said the fire at Minmi is now moving in a south easterly direction.
Minmi residents should prepare for an ember attack.
Bishop Tyrell Anglican College has asked parents to pick up their children because of the bushfire at Minmi.
Updated road closures:
Lenaghans Drive is closed.
Minmi Road is closed at the intersection of Woodford Street but is open from the intersection of Minmi Road and Newcastle Road.
1.31pm: Northbound traffic diverted on George Booth Drive.
Southbound traffic diverted onto John Renshaw Drive.
The F3 is now closed in both directions from Beresfield to Seahampton.
1.15pm: The RFS is water bombing on Stockrington Road at Minmi.
Firefighters are protecting homes along McMullins Road at East Branxton.
McMullins Road is being closed.
1.12pm: Another fire is burning at Glendon Brook near Gresford. Emergency services are now assessing the situation.
A fire is burning at McMullins Road in East Branxton. Homes are under threat. Emergency services are enroute.
The bushfire is moving towards Woodford Street at Minmi and is heading towards shops and a primary school along that road.
Residents have been urged to activate their bushfire survival plan. It may be too late to leave.
Stockrington Road at Minmi is still open at this stage, but motorists are urged to be careful because of increasing smoke.
1.10pm: At Minmi all northbound lanes of the Pacific Motorway (F3) closed at Newcastle Link Road.
Traffic is diverted via Newcastle Link Road to Cameron Park.
12.59pm: The Roads and Maritime Services have warned that the M1 is expected to be closed this afternoon because of the Minmi bushfire.
12.57pm: NSW RFS have said: "If you are in Minmi follow your Survival Plan. If your plan is to leave, leave now if path is clear."
12.38pm: Firefighters are conducting property protection at homes that could be impacted by the fire at Stockrington Road at Minmi.
12.33pm: Firefighters are enroute to a fire burning at Elderslie, near Branxton.
Police are also on their way to assess the situation.
Smoke is starting to cross the Elderslie Road.
12.30pm: Children have been relocated from Minmi Public School to the Community Centre.
12.27pm: NSW RFS has issued an emergency warning for the fire near Stockrington Road, Minmi.
The fire is burning in the area of Stockrington Road at Minmi, west of the M1 Motorway and is burning towards Minmi.
Crews are also working around homes in Stockrington Road, Dog Hole Road and Seahampton Road.
The fire may threaten the M1 motorway, north of the Newcastle Link Road Interchange.
NSW RFS advises that if you are in the area of Stockrington Road or Minmi, seek shelter as the fire impacts and protect yourself from the heat of the fire.
Conditions may be changing.
Residents are advised to monitor the situation and follow their Bush Fire Survival Plan.
Emergency Alert telephone warning messages are being sent to homes in the area.
11.45am: Firefighters have arrived at a grass fire near Stockrington Road at Minmi.
Motorists travelling along the road or the M1 are advised to stay alert.
At this stage the fire is graded as Watch and Act.
11:40am: Available police cars from the Port Stephens, Central Hunter and Newcastle commands are patrolling fire affected areas around Heatherbrae to identify any smoldering logs.
Police are patrolling Tomago Road, Cabbage Tree Road, Masonite Road, Nelson Bay Road, Richardson Road, Grahamstown Road and Medowie Road.
Firefighters are ready to respond if needed.
11.30am: Firefighters are extinguishing smouldering logs in bushland near Richardson Road at Medowie.
Emergency services were alerted to the smoke from a concerned motorist and at this stage an active fire has not ignited.
Police are on scene near Grahamstown Road and Richardson Road while firefighters monitor the situation.
This is part of the area that was burnt during the bushfire that started at Heatherbrae on October 13.
At this stage firefighters think they can contain the smoldering logs before a fire front is created.
Anyone who sees a fire is urged to call triple-0 immediately.
