RFS warn of complacency on total fire ban day
Published Date: 29 Dec 2014
Summary
IT may not have seemed an obvious day for it in Dubbo, but Rural Fire Service (RFS) Orana team manager Superintendent Lyndon Weiland said today's total fire ban should remind residents not to be complacent.
Dubbo faced a warm day and winds that could easily spread a flame if lit.
RFS Orana team manager Superintendent Lyndon Weiland planning for today's total fire ban. Photo: HANNAH SOOLE.
"Recent rain has made everything green, but it's still brown underneath, so it could still burn," he said.
"Unless rain comes the place could be dried up in a week.
"But the total fire ban was prompted by the conditions in other areas of the Lower Central Western Plains.
"Condoblin has had winds of 40 to 50 kilometres an hour."
Superintendent Weiland warned residents of the hefty fines those who light fires can face.
"You can't have wood or coal fires, or any type of open fire, and you can only have gas or electric barbecues on green lawn with water close-by," he said.
"People don't realise how exposed they are- if they're negligent on a total fire ban day it could cost them their property."
RFS Orana team will receive government funding from the Natural Disaster Resilience Program to help better protect communities from the threat of disaster.
Member for Dubbo, Troy Grant and Federal Member for Parkes, Mark Coulton last week announced $11,200 in funding to purchase a Smokeshield Liquid Burner Live Fire system and a full-size adult fire-resistant rescue dummy for training.
Superintendent Weiland said the Live Fire system will enable gas to be omitted into a car to control the temperature of the heat in while training in the off-season.
"You can tell people all you want how radiant heat feels, but it's better to be able to place them into a controlled environment so they can experience it themselves," he said.
"The Live Fire system allows us to train people to handle different types of fires.
"A well-trained fire fighter is a safe fire fighter."
"If you light a fire while cooking and it burns a part of someones property, like their house or a car, you're liable.
