Go gas to avoid wildfire - Solid Fuel Fire Ban (Tumut, Batlow, Tumbarumba)

A Solid Fuel Fire Ban is now in force in State forests around Tumut, Tumbarumba and Batlow areas and will carry through until March next year.

Forests NSW Operations and Protection manager, Charlie Taylor, said the ban restricted the use of open fires, because the forest has dried out rapidly with the recent hot weather and there was now a significant fire risk in all the forest areas.

"This summer’s seasonal conditions have resulted in an early on set of high fire danger conditions and there is a lot of grass in the forest, which increases the risk of camp fires escaping," he said.

The Solid Fuel Fire Ban applies to all NSW State forests in the region, which includes pine plantations and native forests in the Tumut, Batlow and Tumbarumba areas.

"Under the seasonal fire ban, all fires using solid fuels such as wood or charcoal are prohibited at all times," Mr Taylor said.

"Gas appliances are not affected by the Solid Fuel Fire Ban, but care should still be taken when using them in the forests. We are asking campers who may be coming into the forests during the summer to bring gas appliances.

"The pine plantations and native forests are a highly valuable resource and are particularly important to the regional economy. It is essential that every effort is made to reduce the chance of damage to the forests by wildfire.

"Banning solid fuel campfires in the forest areas helps prevent the chance of a fire escaping and destroying these valuable forests, and also improves safety for forest visitors.

"These forests are popular with people during the holiday period, and the introduction of a Solid Fuel Fire Ban has proved a very effective way of reducing the number of wild fires."

Mr Taylor said the Solid Fuel Fire Ban in State forests applied every day throughout summer and not just on days of declared Total Fire Ban.

Failure to comply with the Solid Fuel Fire Ban restrictions carries a maximum penalty of $2200.

For further information about the fire bans, contact Forests NSW Tumut Office on (02) 6947 3911.