Orana's rapid response keeps lid on 'busy' time
Published Date: 18 Feb 2014
Summary
Daily Liberal By KIM BARTLEY
THE Orana team of the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) has clobbered in quick time more than 150 fires since October.
THE Orana team of the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) has clobbered in quick time more than 150 fires since October.
Exceptions include late 2013 fires that threatened properties on the Old Dubbo Road at Eschol and a blaze on the outskirts of Narromine that destroyed a 243-hectare wheat crop.
Orana RFS operations officer Laurie Douglas yesterday summed up the fire season to date as "extremely busy", given its duties on the ground at Dubbo, Wellington and Narromine were coupled with the dispatching of staff and volunteer strike teams to communities under siege by bushfires.
As late as Saturday a team was ready to head to Victoria where easing conditions, including rain, had put the trip "on hold".
Inspector Douglas' off-the-cuff summary was accompanied by an explanation as to why the large majority of fires in the Orana region were extinguished "in most cases in a couple of hours".
He said bushfires raging across NSW had "everybody on their toes", resulting in volunteers "always ready to go" and able to rely on aircraft.
"We've had a number of fires where we've had aircraft and very good responses from brigades," Inspector Douglas said.
The operations officer said most of the fires had been caused by careless use of equipment.
But 10 started on roadsides across the three communities were considered to be suspicious.
Inspector Douglas said there had not been significant losses, other than the wheat crop and headers which typically succumbed to fire during harvest.
"There's been a small amount of fencing destroyed and a couple of old sheds," he said.
The current fuel level was "moderate" in contrast with the lead-up to summer when hot and dry conditions worked together to create a "quite volatile" setting.
Inspector said harvesting and stock had helped reduce fuel loading across the three local government areas making up the region, but rain continued to be sporadic.
Inspector Douglas said summer was coming to an end but not the vigilance of the Orana team.
"There's not a lot of moisture expected in March and April," he said.
"We still could have days of high fire danger. Let's hope not, but we could."
