Newcastle was blanketed by thick smoke this afternoon, after a grass fire broke out at near the historic, Fort Scratchley.
It took hold just after one o’clock, burning through at least 200 square metres of scrub.
Hessian landscaping matting fuelled the smoke, causing chaos for motorists along Shortland Esplanade.
One car suffered minor heat damage.
It’s not known what caused the blaze.
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