Bushfire danger period over but area still volatile
Published Date: 26 Mar 2015
Summary
Superintendent Lyndon Wieland has appealed to the community to be extremely careful and to follow the law or they risked heavy fines
By Faye Wheeler
The NSW Rural Fire Service Orana team leader said conditions were going to remain volatile until the area received "two to three days of soaking rain" and it would take more than a passing storm to reduce the danger.
He said a fire within the past two weeks at Wellington gave an indication of what the district was facing.
It burned quickly and hard despite it being 9pm and there being no wind, he said.
He also reported the area north from Gilgandra was subject to total fire bans just last week.
"That's how volatile we are at the moment," he said.
He appealed to the public to act responsibly.
"Even though a fire permit is no longer a requirement after March 31, residents must still notify their neighbours and the local fire control centre 24 hours before burning," he said.
"It is their responsibility if the fire they light escapes.
"So they need to have a bare-earth break around the area they're going to burn.
"They need to ensure they have fire-fighting equipment with them and they need to be on the scene at the fire all of the time it is burning."
The superintendent issued a reminder that people were liable for the damage caused by any fire they lit escaping, including damage to neighbours' fences.
"My advice is hang off from lighting a fire until there is good soaking rain and then ring the fire control centre for an update on weather and conditions," he said.
"The reason we're bringing it to the public's attention is there are heavy fines for those who do the wrong thing."
For more information contact the Orana Fire Control Centre on 6881 3900 or visit www.rfs.nsw.gov.au
