Time To Prepare For Bushfire Season Is Now

NSW Rural Fire Service brigades were in full swing last weekend urging residents to prepare for the bushfire season.

Warm, dry conditions increase the risk of fire, and we are headed for a very warm summer.

Prolific vegetation growth is an added concern ahead of October 1 when the whole of NSW will be in the Bush Fire Danger Period.

That danger period has already arrived for 38 Local Government Areas (LGAs) due to hotter-than-usual temperatures for this time of year.

Residents were urged to talk about what they could do to ready themselves for bush and grass fires.

There were firefighting displays and opportunities to climb aboard a fire truck and check out specialist firefighting equipment.

Members of the community also had an opportunity to get to know, and show their support for, local firefighters.

The RFS is preparing for the upcoming fire season with hazard reduction burns, equipment maintenance and training of personnel.

Community members were urged to take five simple steps to reduce their bushfire risk.

• Trim overhanging trees and shrubs;
• Mow grass and remove the cuttings and leave a cleared around around the home;
• Remove materials that could burn around the home, such as door mats, wood piles and mulch;
• Clear and remove all the debris and leaves from the gutters surrounding the home; and
• Prepare a sturdy hose or hoses that will reach all around the home.

Minister for Emergency Services, Jihad Dib said after three years of widespread rain and flooding, people were being asked to turn their attention back to the risk of bush and grass fires.

“Recent research shows that 70 per cent of people living in bushfire-prone areas have some sort of plan for what to do during a fire, but worryingly less than half had done any preparation work on their property,” Mr Dib said.

“The first step in getting ready is knowing your risk, and local brigades can help you.”

Commission of the RFS, Rob Rogers said the time to prepare was now, not when a fire was at your front door.

“As the weather heats up and the landscape dries out, the threat of serious fires is quickly returning,” Mr Rogers said.

“Thanks to an extended period of wet weather and prolific growth, NSW is now facing its worst grass ire risk in two decades.

“RFS volunteers are already working hard to contain fires across the state, with crews responding to more than 2,000 bush and grass fires since the start of July.

“While our firefighters are doing everything they can, including undertaking hazard reduction burns and undergoing training, preparation is a shared responsibility and property owners need to do their part, too.

“I thank all our volunteers for the work they do in protecting communities across the state and thank residents and landowners for the efforts they will put into preparing themselves, their families and their property.”

• Topics:

• Bush Fires
• Living and Lifestyle