Forests NSW rounding up Pilliga fire

A concerted effort from Forests NSW fire fighters from Baradine, Dubbo and other areas across the State is helping to contain some of the largest fires seen in the Pilliga State Forests over the past few years

There are two major forest fires burning on either side of the Newell Highway.

At 85,000ha, the larger fire to the west of the highway is not much smaller than the area burnt in the severe fires of 1997. The fire to the east of the highway is about 14,000ha.

“The fires broke out after a series of lightning strikes on the evening of Tuesday, 28 November,” said Forests NSW Western Region manager Paul Wells.

“The fires were in the Pilliga Nature Reserve east and west of the Newell Highway.

“High temperatures and strong south westerly winds created three major fire runs on the afternoon and evening of 29 November to the north east followed by a wind shift to the south east creating major fire rums to the north west and rapidly increasing the fire sizes.”

Mr Wells said Forests NSW and Rural Fire Service crews responded to the Pilliga Nature Reserve fires as Department of Conservation crews were committed to the other fires near Narrabri and Coonabarabran.

A Section 44 bushfire emergency was declared on the afternoon of 29 November at Coonabarabran to cover the western fire and the eastern fire was covered under a pre-existing declaration at Narrabri.

“The perimeter length of these fires is now more than 300 kilometres,” Mr Wells said.

“It is a tribute to the fire crews working on the fires that they have been able to bring them within containment lines in such a short time and hopefully to patrol status over the next few days.

“They were helped by easing weather conditions over the past few days.”

Mr Wells said that at one stage there was concern that the town of Baradine might be affected and graded fire breaks were installed to protect it.

“Those fire breaks will remain in place now for the rest of the season in case there is a further fire threat.”

The Minister for Primary Industries, Mr Ian Macdonald, said the fires were under the control of Section 44 fire control incident management teams operating at Coonabarabran and Narrabri.

“We have had more than 50 Forests NSW staff working on these fires on the ground and another 10 or so working in incident control centres and the Baradine Forestry Centre,” Mr Macdonald said.

“We are also grateful for the assistance of the RFS volunteers who have been instrumental in ensuring these fires are contained as much as possible to State forest and Community Conservation Area estate.”