 Back burning operations were put in place to save Kurrajong and surrounds and to save all Blue Mountains towns from Katoomba to .By 15 December 2019, the Gospers Mountain fire had grown to , making it the biggest forest fire in Australian history.As of 27 December, the Gospers Mountain fire had burnt over ; and, after burning approximately across the Lithgow, Hawkesbury and Central Coast local government areas, the NSW Rural Fire Service reported the fire as contained on 12 January 2020, stating that the fire was caused by a lightning strike on 26 October.