BUSHFIRE season showed its first signs of approaching on Friday, with multiple crews battling a fire that shut George Booth Drive for several hours.
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Roughly 40 firefighters tackled the winter bushfire from mid-morning until it was extinguished about 3pm.
It burned out about 15 hectares near Mount Sugarloaf Road, a NSW Rural Fire Service spokesman confirmed last night.
Police are treating the blaze as suspicious and will investigate the fire’s cause.
The blaze forced traffic onto the Hunter Expressway, with police and traffic controllers on scene to guide cars down surrounding streets as smoke poured through them.
The official bushfire danger period begins October 1.
Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.