Hundreds of Australian firefighters battling large bushfire on outskirts of Sydney

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Hundreds of Australian firefighters are battling a large bush fire on the outskirts of Sydney, as police designated the key area a crime scene.

The public have been warned to stay vigilant while the blaze spreads, amid reports that homes have been damaged.

The fire, which broke out yesterday afternoon in Holsworthy in the southwest of the city, remains out of control.

High winds have pushed the flames towards residential areas and authorities said they had received several reports of damage being caused to homes.

New South Wales police said the site of the fire has been designated as a “crime scene” and forensic officers were set to conduct an investigation to establish a cause.

They warned that penalties, including prison sentences, could be enforced if it was determined an individual was responsible.

Around 2,500 hectares of land have been burnt and more than 500 firefighters are tackling the outbreak, according to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS).

No one is thought to have been injured.

The fire has spread through the Moorebank, Wattle Gtove, Menai and Heathcote neighbourhoods but RFS spokesman Greg Allan told AAP it was too early for emergency crews to assess the fire’s impact.

"We have had reports of impact on properties in west Menai and Barden Ridge but our crews at the moment are solely focused on fighting the fire," he said.

After being briefed at a fire-control centre on Sunday, Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull praised the courage of the emergency services staff and volunteers.

Mr Turnbull said the area had been experiencing “unseasonably hot” weather.

"That is a matter of obviously of great concern but we have to deal with the worst that mother nature can throw at us and the worst Australians are presented with,” Mr Turnbull said, ABC News reported.

The bush fire has now been downgraded to “watch and act”, replacing the emergency warning first issued by the RFS.

However, residents in a number of neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Sydney have been warned to monitor the situation carefully until the blaze is brought under control.