Abandoned cars a bushfire hazard on rural roads
Published Date: 04 Jan 2016
Summary
Emergency services in the New South Wales central-west say cars left on roadsides are a potential fire hazard because of vandals, and their options are limited when it comes to preventing problems.
By Sally Bryant
Blackened wrecks of cars that have been deliberately burnt out after being left by drivers have become a common sight on rural roads and highways.
Emergency services said one of the most concerning aspects of the phenomenon was many of the cars were left near long grass and dry
And that is perfect fodder for a rural bushfire, which can quickly get out of control in summer weather.
Orana Rural Fire Service superintendent Lyndon Whelan, based at Dubbo, said the problem was growing.
"Any vehicle that is left on the side of the road for 48 to 72 hours, you can nearly bet your life on it that someone will set fire to it," he said.
"Over the last 18 months we have had 35 incidents where we have had cars ignited, and that has caused us some problems because it has spread into the grass."
Orana Local Area Command inspector of operations Mark Dixon said police were limited in their power to remove cars from the roadside.
"If police are alerted to a vehicle that members of the public have noticed, that they have concerns about, then we attend the scene," he said.
"If the car is registered, then we make some inquiries about why the vehicle is there.
"But if the vehicle is registered and if it's not committing an obstruction or a danger to the passing traffic, then there's nothing legally we can do with it."
Recent rain a saving grace
Superintendent Whelan said recent rains around the central-west had taken some of the pressure off rural firefighters, but there was still a lot of dry fuel around.
He said a car had been on the side of a highway east of Dubbo for several days before it was burned.
"It was well alight when our crews got on the scene," he said. "It had certainly been set alight. Somebody had put accelerant on it and set fire to it.
"The police got involved in the case.
"If we hadn't just had that rain, that fire could have spread from the side of the road and into the scrub by the railway.
"We had another fire on the Golden Highway last night, but again it was a damp night and it didn't get away.
"But it took about 20 minutes for the fire crews to get on the scene, so it would have had plenty of time to get going, if it was going to get going in the grass."
