Bushfire threatens small school at Warrimoo in the Blue Mountains but students safe say RFS A helicopter fights the bushfire at Warimoo in the Blue Mountains. THE fire raging in the Florabella gully, also known as the Florabella Pass, has eased allowing residents in Florabella and Greens Roads who had evacuated to return. The RFS said the fire was still burning in a south-easterly direction towards Baden Pl, Blaxland. A southerly change is forecast to reach the area sometime after 9pm. This change is expected to bring wind gusts of up to 50 kmh. The fire will remain at emergency warning level until the change moves through the area. The change may send the fire in a northerly direction. People to the north of the fire, towards Warrimoo, should be alert to smoke and burning embers. Firefighters are on scene," the RFS said. More than 200 firefighters and water bombing helicopters have been battling the 90 hectare out of control blaze burning through the Florabella gully towards Blaxland. Residents in Bridge Rd, Blaxland, were told after 5pm to shelter and protect themselves if the fire reached the street. The fire is burning in hard to access and rugged terrain and was being fanned by north westerly winds in excess of 30kmh. Helicopters fight a fire near Baden Place Blaxland. Residents leave their homes on Bridge Road, Blaxland, as a bushfire rages at Warrimoo. A Rural Fire Service spokesman said a southerly change was expected between 8pm to 9pm with conditions expected to cool. Firefighters rushed to Greens Rd and Florbella St near Warrimoo Public School after 3pm when the fire broke out. Schools at Warrimoo and Blaxland were evacuated and a bus carrying children at Warrimoo was escorted out of danger as the fire raged out of control in rugged terrain. A Police officer asks Clark Wright, 64, to leave his Blaxland property. He chose to stay and look after his house and E-Type Jag. Residents leave from their home on Bridge Road Blaxland as a bushfire rages at Warrimoo. An aircrane has been deployed to Warimoo where the fire is burning in terrain difficult to access, with firefighters stationed at Warrimoo Public School as a precaution. Lee Reynolds has lived in Florabella St for 30 years and said the fire was no longer threatening homes in Warrimoo unless there was a "howling easterly" change in the winds. There is a lot of smoke but it's down in the gully. They can't get down to it. There's a lot of bush down there," he said. When you live in a bushfire prone area you are prepared as you can be. When the fire broke out there were 10 fire trucks here in 10 minutes. Greens Rd resident Moira was driving back from Penrith when she saw a "column of dark smoke" near her home. "It's always worrying, you never know what direction it might go," she said. She said living in the bushfire prone Blue Mountains meant residents were always in imminent danger. A large grass fire at Coolac, 24kms north of Gundagai, is under control and is at advice level. Earlier, some residents were being advised to leave their homes in the Blue Mountains as the Rural Fire Service upgraded the bushfire raging in Warrimoo to emergency level. Tracy and David Pearce with their dog Joey evacuate their home in Blaxland as a bush fire approaches. Children are escorted on to a bus by teachers at Warrimoo Public School as a bushfire burns across the valley at Warrimo. Update from Warrimoo fire: Students are safe, being cared for by staff. Fire crews at scene as precaution," the Rural Fire Service tweeted. A Department of Education and Communities spokeswoman said most of the students had already been picked up by their parents. "The school is currently in lockdown because of bushfire," she said. All the kids are safe and well. There are only a handful left. Smoke from the bushfire billows over Florabella Street, Warimoo. The fire is currently burning between Florabella Street and Greens Roads and the RFS has upgraded its Watch and Act warning to emergency. Spot fires are breaking out ahead of the fire and the RFS has warned people in Boynton and Bourke Streets in Blaxland to be aware of burning embers and heavy smoke. Seven fire trucks and a number of water bombing aircraft are battling the fire, 2GB reports. People in Blaxland have been warned to watch out for spot fires. Originally published as Relief as fire eases, residents return