More lightning than rain: But cooler conditions a respite for RFS firefighters
Patchy rain and cooler conditions have helped firefighting efforts across Northern NSW - but dry lightning strikes have brought fresh ignitions. Here’s the latest.
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Cooler weather and sparse rain hasn’t helped as much as expected as firefighters in Northern NSW battle to contain and extinguish multiple active blazes.
“We’ve seen more lightning than rain to be honest, which started a number of new fires across the tablelands, but we’ve seen around 15mm across most of the Mid North Coast,” a Rural Fire Service (RFS) spokesman said.
“We’re expecting around 10mm across the Willi Willi fireground (near Kempsey) tomorrow yet it won’t be enough to put the fire out but it’ll give us some solid reprieve.
“Rainfall won’t be enough to cause access restrictions - it’s just the lightning that’s been a problem.”
Reports of a fire-generated thunderstorm known as pyro-cumulonimbus were received at the Glens Creek Rd Fire at Nymboida, 30km south west of Grafton yesterday.
“There is a potential for escalation in fire behaviour associated with this fire thunderstorm,” the RFS spokesman said.
“A pyro-cumulonimbus can create erratic winds and dry lightning and result in significantly faster fire spread.”
Crews on the ground had to retreat to a safer distance before tackling the new conditions.
Air support to ground crews is being delivered from a BMBR210 Boeing and FSCN200 Cessna 560 Citation V.
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Neale Fraser said thunderstorm activity in the Northern Rivers had caused some ignitions.
“You get the rainfall and thunderstorms but the lightning obviously starts fires as well,” Mr Fraser said.
He said the areas around Bellingen and Sawtell received reasonable rainfall of between 20-30 mm today.
Further showers are predicted, minus the thunderstorms, tomorrow.
“More showers could bring between 10-20mm on average – it’s wet and not too hot so in the short term it’s looking quite promising,” Mr Fraser said.
Showers are forecast to continue into Saturday.
“The bad news is it’s going to warm up again next week. From Monday it’s getting back to being fairly hot and dangers will increase again,” he said.
“Then there is another cold front coming through the region possibly Tuesday afternoon and evening.”
RFS ground crews with air and heavy machinery support will continue establishing containment lines around the Nymboida fire.
Backburning is also occurring and there will be a visible increase in smoke.
The fire is burning in the vicinity of Glens Creek Rd and north of Armidale Rd approximately three kilometres north of Nymboida.
Armidale Road is open between Kangaroo Creek Road (Coutts Crossing) and the Coaching Station.
The current forecast shows a return to elevated fire danger early next week.
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