Hardwork, rain and Thor help fire battle
Published Date: 16 Jan 2016
Summary
A BLAZE burning north of Coonabarabran since Thursday morning had burnt out nearly 8000 hectares by the following day but rain had helped efforts to bring the blaze under control, according to the NSW Rural Fire Service.
RFS crews were busy battling several fires that broke out in the Pilliga Nature Reserve, believed to have been sparked by lightning.
The blaze prompted the closure of the Newell Highway, which reopened on Friday morning with a reduced speed limit in place.
Patchy rain fell across the southern side of a fire burning in the Pilliga Nature Reserve late on Thursday, but crews still experienced erratic fire behaviour on the northern side of the fire late that night.
Although patchy rain continued on Friday morning, NSW RFS and National Parks and Wildlife Service crews returned to the fire ground to continue to work on the fire.
The Richmond-based DC-10 air tanker Southern Belle was tasked to drop retardant on the fire, while NSW RFS Orana team manager Superintendent Lyndon Wieland praised local crews who, at short notice, performed a vital role in refilling another air tanker, the C130 Hercules known as Thor, at Dubbo airport.
The aircraft made four return trips to and from Dubbo, he said, with staff on the ground refilling it with 14,000L of retardant for each trip.
"Thankfully with the rain overnight there wasn't a need for the aircraft to return today (Friday)," Superintendent Wieland said.
"But we are pleased to have been able to assist at short notice, which is usually the case whenever we do."
