Hazard Reductions - 14 and 15 May 2016

These planned burns are an important part of protecting people and properties from bush fires.

Sixteen planned hazard reduction burns are scheduled for the weekend of 14 and 15 May 2016. You can find a complete list of planned activities on our Hazard Reduction page.

The Bureau of Meteorology has advised that weather conditions on Saturday night and Sunday morning have the potential to trap some smoke in the Sydney basin.

To limit the potential impact on a number of events happening around Sydney, we have rescheduled some of these controlled burns.

The left hand image below shows the potential impact on Saturday evening if all burns proceeded as planned on Saturday. The image on the right shows the forecast smoke impact now that a number of burns have been moved to Sunday.

It's important to remember that some areas of Sydney will still be affected by smoke.

If you're in an area that is affected by smoke, consider the following:

• If there is a hazard reduction burn planned for your area, take the following steps:
• Keep doors and windows closed to prevent smoke entering homes
• Keep outdoor furniture under cover to prevent ember burns
• Retract pool covers to prevent ember damage
• Remove washing from clotheslines
• Ensure pets have a protected area
• Vehicles must slow down, keep windows up, turn headlights on
• Sightseers must keep away from burns for their own safety

If you have asthma or a lung condition, reduce outdoor activities if smoke levels are high and if shortness of breath or coughing develops, take your reliever medicine or seek medical advice

For health information relating to smoke from bush fires and hazard reduction burning, visit the NSW Health website or the Asthma Foundation.