Below average fire season a good thing
Published Date: 30 Mar 2015
Summary
THE Rural Fire Service Canobolas Zone has reported a quieter than normal bush fire danger season, which draws to a close on Tuesday.
View the Central Western Daily Story
By Bryant Hevesi
From October 1, 2014, until last Friday, the 80 brigades across the Zone had responded to 232 incidents, a decrease on previous seasons which usually average more than 300 fires.
ON THE FRONT LINE: North West Rural Fire Service brigade members Ash Morrow and Brian O'Connor had a quieter bush fire danger season than usual. Photo: JUDE KEOGH
Canobolas operations coordinator Brett Bowden said around 80 per cent of those fires were contained to less than five hectares.
Mr Bowden said favourable weather conditions helped their cause, while property owners being prepared for the season, and the fast, efficient response of brigades played a vital role in containing fires which broke out.
The Zone will now start their hazard reduction burning program to minimise the risk of a flare-up during the next bush fire danger season.
Twenty-five sites have already been targeted throughout all local government areas the Zone covers.
"Residents should expect to see smoke over the coming months and they should not be alarmed with that," Mr Bowden said.
Mr Bowden said residents can check the Fires Near Me app or the RFS website to see when hazard reductions burns are being carried out.
Residents are also asked to advise their local Fire Control Centre prior to any ignition.
