RFS reveals all remaining NSW bushfires have been contained
NSW’s horror bushfire season isn’t over yet but the RFS has delivered some welcome news off the back of torrential rain which has helped authorities get the upper hand on every blaze left burning in the state.
NSW
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The state’s horror six-month fire season is finally smouldering out with all bushfires now under control.
The RFS confirmed on Thursday evening all 24 fires still burning around NSW were now contained after a months-long battle.
RFS spokesman James Morris said the statewide volunteer effort was “certainly getting there” following rain that helped many of the largest fires be put out.
“We extinguished several main ones of the past week,” Mr Morris said.
“It was a combination of a lot of hard work from our firefighters on a number of blazes, but the final straw was the rain reducing fire dangers. We had torrential rain in some areas, which was amazing. Such a relief.”
The Myall Creek Rd fire in the Richmond Valley, Kerry Ridge fire in Muswellbrook, Gospers Mountain fire in the Hawkesbury, Currowan fire in Shoalhaven and the Green Wattle Creek fire in the Southern Highlands were among major blazes dampened thanks to the torrential rain.
Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said progress in the firefight was welcome relief.
“After what’s been a truly devastating fire season for both firefighters and residents who have suffered through so much this season, all fires are now contained in NSW,” Mr Rogers.
Mr Rogers said while not all fires were extinguished yet, the complete containment would help the RFS in assisting fire-affected communities.
“Not all fires are out, there’s still some fire activity in the far south of the state but all fires are contained so we can really focus on helping people rebuild,” he said.
The still-burning border fire that has raged across NSW and Victoria as well as various other large fires in the Snowy Monaro regions have left fireys with “still a bit of work to do,” Mr Morris said.
“We’ll be monitoring burning trees in containment lines and working on extinguishing.
“But all it takes is one ember over containment lines and a fire takes off again.”
RFS volunteers have begun to help local communities rebuild as well as assist the SES with flood damage, but morale has “been high”.
“Our fireys haven’t had a break, one day they’re on a fire ground, the next they’re dealing with flood and storm damage in the community. The work they’ve done in the past six months is truly inspiring,” Mr Morris said.
“(RFS morale) is so much higher than it has been in previous months, we can start to help our communities get back to normal and give our volunteers a break.”
But Mr Morris warned the heavy rainfall was not the end of the fire season just yet.
“The increased moisture from rain assists in reducing fire danger, but if we do see prolonged hot dry windy conditions then fires will run quickly and threaten homes,” he said.
“It’s important that people don’t become complacent until we’re completely out of the prolonged bushfire danger period.”