The NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) is urging Mid North Coast residents to take extreme care when conducting burning activities following an unusually high number of fires in the local area due to windy conditions.
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Out of control hazard reduction burns have resulted in 23 fires in two weeks throughout the southern region area leaving NSWRFS fire fighters to extinguish the fast moving fires.
NSW RFS Superintendent Kam Baker is advising landholders and managers to ensure they are well prepared before burning off on their property.
“Following a lot of heavy rain in the area we are faced with high fuel loads especially in the grasslands that present a very real fire risk when hazard reduction burns are not conducted safely,” he said.
“The Service encourages landholders to be proactive in reducing fuel loads on their property, but more importantly we want people to conduct hazard reduction burns safely and legally.
“For hazard reduction burning to be safe and effective, residents need to ensure adequate control measures are in place to prevent escape and take weather conditions & forecasts into consideration before undertaking any burning.
“Remember to notify your neighbours and local fire authority 24 hours before starting a hazard reduction burn. The NSWRFS can provide advice on fire permits, hazard reduction certificates, environmental approvals, weather forecasts and how best to prepare and conduct safe hazard reduction burns ensuring the safety of both landowners’ property and the broader community.
“Every landholder has a responsibility to prevent fire spreading to other properties and there can be serious consequences for the person who started the fire. The first priority should always be safety, so never conduct a burn if conditions are not suitable. There are alternatives to burning including hand clearing, mowing, or slashing areas around key assets on the property.”
Total Fire Ban and Fire Danger information is posted daily at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au.
Superintendent Baker said all residents should take the current conditions seriously and make sure they have a completed and practiced Bush Fire Survival Plan, in order to protect their family and property should they be threatened by fire.
“If you are not prepared for the upcoming bush fire season then you must act now,” Superintendent Baker said.
“Everyone should be using this time to prepare their property, which includes clearing gutters and removing fuel from around homes.
“All households should have a well practiced Bush Fire Survival Plan so residents know what to do, particularly on days of increased fire danger, because there is no room for complacency when it comes to bush fire safety.”
