North Head fire: Hazard reignition sparks blaze near Sydney’s historic Quarantine Station
The cause of a wild fire emergency that led to dozens of firefighters being called in to protect Sydney’s historic Quarantine Station has been revealed.
Manly
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The spectacular wild fire on Sydney’s North Head, which came close to the historic Quarantine Station on Thursday night, has been blamed on a recent hazard reduction burn-off reigniting.
Firefighters say strong southerly winds fanned smouldering material from a controlled burn that was conducted in a section of Sydney Harbour National Park two weeks ago.
Nine NSW Fire and Rescue, from as far away as Botany and Concord, joined with local units and Rural Fire Service Brigades from the northern beaches to protect the Quarantine Station from the fire that flared just before 9pm.
Fire and Rescue said multiple triple-0 calls were received.
The flames, which roared through a pocket of inaccessible bush in land sandwiched between Scenic Dr and the Q Station, could be seen from kilometres away.
Authorities were so concerned that the blaze may get out of control in the string, gusty southerly winds, that three staff had to be evacuated form the Q Station hotel.
There were worries that 19th century buildings and a cluster of maintenance sheds could come under threat.
Dozens of residents who live close to the nearby North Head Sanctuary and former military barracks on North Head were also warned by police to get ready to evacuate if the fire got out of control.
Firefighters managed to control the fire that burned through a section of bushland in “deep terrain” between Scenic Dr and the eastern side of the Quarantine Station.
“While the fire was highly visible and spectacular, it did to cause any damage to buildings,” an RFS spokesman.
“The southerly winds reignited a hazard reduction burn on North Head,” the spokesman said. “The fire last night was in a section of bush, within the hazard reduction area, that had not been burned.”
On September 4 more than 20 crews from Fire and Rescue and firefighters from National Parks and wildlife Service took part in a large hazard reduction burn at North Head, with about 20 hectares affected.
A Fire and Rescue spokesman said the fire was confirmed extinguished at 3.15am Friday and all crews left North Head.
The Q Station hotel and conference facilities were operating as usual again on Friday.
A National Parks and Wildlife spokesman said the North Head precinct of Sydney Harbour National Park is open.
“NPWS crews will remain onsite over the weekend to monitor conditions,” he said. “If the situation changes, an alert will be posted to the NPWS website, however with favourable weather conditions expected it is unlikely to change.”