111 days of bushfires on the Northern Rivers

WHILE most people relax over Christmas, it’s business as usual for RFS and other emergency services battling blazes.

CHRISTMAS EVE: Today is day 111 of the Northern Rivers bushfires burning continuously in the region. Image shows RFS firefighters along the Coraki-Ellangowan Rd on December 7.

IT IS now day 111 of the continuous bushfires burning on the Northern Rivers.

Currently the Rural Fire Service has all bushfires in the region ranked at either Under Control or Being Controlled.

An RFS spokeswoman said nearly 108,000ha had been burned in the region, which included the fires at Mt Nardi (7000ha), Myall Creek Rd (more than 121,300ha), Bangala Creek (nearly 58,000ha), Blue Gum Rd (nearly 5000ha) and the Border Trail (28,000ha).

On Friday, Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis said the length of the state’s firefront has reached frightening proportions.

“The combined length of all fires burning across NSW is something like 19,000km,” he said.

“This would circumnavigate the perimeter of Australia.”

Since then the firefront has grown and it’s a leviathan effort to suppress the bushfires and keep local communities safe.

Agencies involved in the firefighting efforts include the RFS, Fire & Rescue, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Forestry Corporation, along with the support of out-of-area strike teams from NSW, Western Australia, South Australia and international colleagues from New Zealand, Canada and the United States.

Supporting these agencies is the Australian Defence Force, State Emergency Service, NSW Police, Ambulance NSW, and a host of local, state and federal government departments as well as numerous community organisations.

The RFS spokeswoman said tens-of-thousands of meals had been provided for firefighters and their associated helpers.

“When we started catering for firefighters, we provided 300 people (with) three meals a day,” she said.

“This has now dropped back to 150 meals three times a day.”

She said 755 out-of-area firefighters and associated personnel had been deployed to the region to assist exhausted local crews.

NSW Bushfire Impact Assesment*

Homes destroyed – 829

Homes damaged – 333

Homes saved – 7,310

Facilities destroyed – 62

Facilities damaged – 79

Facilities saved – 573

Outbuildings destroyed – 1925

Outbuildings damaged – 828

Outbuildings saved – 6782

*Figures correct as of December 22, 2019.