Bushfires burn in Canobolas Zone following lightning strikes
Published Date: 04 Jan 2019
Summary
Volunteers from the Canobolas Zone Rural Fire Service responded and dealt with 10 separate incidents as a result of a storms this week.
View the Central Western Daily story
The RFS responded to incidents from Yeoval to Wattamondara in the south including a number of difficult fires in the Goobang and Mandagery Ranges.
Following lightning strikes this week RFS crews responded to three fires in the canobolas zone.
Canobolas Zone RFS district officer Lachlan Allan said there were three fires still burning on Friday afternoon and all three were caused by lightning strikes.
Mr Allan said five RFS units and a helicopter were deployed to a 10 hectare fire at Gingham Gap on Peak Hill Road, Baldry.
Aerial footage captured by Fred Fahey Aerial Services of one of the three fires that are burning in the Rural Fire Service's Canobolas Zone.
“They’ve got the fire controlled to 90 per cent of the perimeter, 10 per cent is inaccessible, they’ve got a helicopter working with ground crews,” Mr Allan said.
Firefighters and earth-moving equipment is also being used to reinforce containment lines at a bushfire at Monaghans Road, Manildra.
Mr Allan said a weather change that’s expected to come through on Saturday will make conditions more favourable for firefighters.
An aircraft captured imagery of a tree on fire at Masons Ridge for the Canobolas Zone Rural Fire Service on Thursday evening.
Along with the two more serious fires, a tree is also on fire as a result of a lightning strike at Masons Ridge at Heallys Road, Mandagery.
Mr Allan said at this stage only a single tree is on fire however the RFS is considering using heavy-plant machinery such as bulldozers to cut a track so firefighting crews can access the fire.
Although there is no fire ban, Mr Allan said there was a high fire danger rating for the Canobolas Zone on Friday.
He said people should keep their wits about them because fires could easily start in the dry conditions and the RFS will not issue fire permits until further notice.
Fines apply for anyone caught lighting a fire without a permit.
Mr Allan has also urged anyone who does see an unattended fire to contact triple zero.
