NSW Bushfires: RFS issue grim warning to Hawkesbury residents

The RFS has issued this dire warning to a small township at the foothills of the Blue Mountains ahead of Thursday’s forecast 43 degree temperatures. Hawkesbury

RFS volunteers and NSW Fire and Rescue officers protect a home impacted by the relentless Gospers Mountain fire near Colo Heights on November 19. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)

• Bilpin Fruit Bowl running business in a ghost town
• ‘Safe and secure’ caravans for refuge from bushfires
• Push to build purpose-built centre to fight fire from the air

THE Rural Fire Service has issued a dire warning to a small ridge-top Hawkesbury township ahead of tomorrow’s forecast 43 degree temperatures: “If fires get severe enough, we will be instructed to leave”.

The plain-speaking RFS personnel fronted hundreds of concerned residents at Grose View Public School last night, telling them Bowen Mountain was at “greatest risk” from the massive out-of-control Gospers Mountain bushfires this Thursday — and Grose Vale and Grose Wold are also vulnerable.

“We’ve requested 15 helicopters for Thursday,” the packed school hall was told. “Will we get them? We don’t make those decisions.”

Bushfire community meetings were held last night at Grose View Public School (pictured) and Clarence/Dargan Rural Fire Service Station. Picture: Isabell Petrinic

Grose Vale separates the small township of Grose Wold from Kurrajong, in the City of Hawkesbury. Photo: Isabell Petrinic

The solemn crowd was also told helicopters can’t operate in 40-degree-plus temperatures and only homes prepared “to a high fire standard level” will be able to withstand these fires.

“That’s the worst case scenario — best-case scenario if it doesn’t happen this Thursday, it will happen on Saturday.”

A water bombing helicopter helps to contain the Gospers Mountain fire as it burned towards Bilpin on December 10, as temperatures climbed to the low 40s. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)

Saturday is when the Bureau of Meteorology is tipping temperatures will climb as high as 44 degrees.

The RFS told the community they did not intend to be alarmist, but resources are “depleted” and “we can’t put a fire truck at every house”.

“If your house isn’t well prepared, don’t even consider staying in Bowen Mountain.”

Residents of Grose Vale and Grose Wold were told to expect “significant spot fires”, preceded by ember attack — the most common way houses catch fire during bushfires. Consider filling a bathtub with water to tackle such attacks if staying.

If it becomes too dangerous to leave, residents were advised to stay in their house in the room farthest from the fire, and seal it as best they can. Leaving early is your safest option.

Hundreds of concerned residents packed out Grose View Public School to hear how looming bushfires could impact them. Photo: Isabell Petrinic

Cars packed onto Grose Wold Road ahead of last night’s community bushfire meeting at the primary school in the far distance. Photo: Isabell Petrinic

“If you do leave too late, you risk having an accident in the smoke; running into a tree, or a person, and having a fatality,” residents were told.

The take-home message for all fires was: Monitor conditions, be ready to take action in case conditions change, and follow your bushfire survival plan.

RFS’ comments come as Fires Near Me warns the 409,063ha Gospers Mountain fire is moving east towards Kurrajong — less than 10 kilometres from Grose View Public School in Grose Wold.

More bushfire community meetings will be held tonight (Wednesday) at 7pm at Kurrajong Heights RFS station in Stanley Ave, Kurrajong Heights, and at Yarramundi RFS station, Mountain Ave, Yarramundi.

Safer locations

• Evacuees can look for shelter at Richmond Club, East Market St, Richmond, where caravans are also available to those seeking refuge from fire
• Evacuees with animals can stay with them at Hawkesbury Showground
• Check Fires Near Me for fire updates, including evacuation centre locations, and Live Traffic for road closures

• Fire has passed through these areas
• Be aware of the dangers of trees and branches falling

Kurrajong, Kurrajong Heights and Bowen Mountain area

• Fire is moving east towards Kurrajong (it’s about 20-km west of area)
• Monitor conditions and know what you will do if fire threatens

Grose Vale, Grose Wold area

• Monitor conditions and know what you will do if fire threatens

Burnt bushland as seen along the Bells Line of Road in the Blue Mountains on December 17. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)

• Fire continues to burn on both sides of Bells Line of Road and in Grose Valley
• Fire activity is moderating and there is no direct threat to property
• On Sunday, fire activity increased with the fire jumping Mt Wilson Road and impacting the Berambing and Mt Tomah area
• Take advice from firefighters working in the area
• Bells Line of Road between Mount Tootie Road and Darling Causeway is closed

Ruined Castle in the Blue Mountains

• Fire continues to burn south of Katoomba around Narrow Neck peninsula on the eastern side of Megalong Valley, Mount Solitary and west of Kedumba Valley
• Crews will continue to monitor containment boundaries and conduct backburning operations where conditions allow, to stop the fire spreading further within Megalong Valley
• Narrow Neck and Glenraphael Drive are closed

If you are threatened by fire 

• Do not put yourself in the path of fire
• Protect yourself from the heat of fire; wear protective clothing and footwear, and cover all exposed skin
• If fire impacts, seek shelter in a solid structure to protect yourself from the heat of the fire
• If your life is at risk, call triple-0
• If you are in an area that’s already been affected by fire, there may be small areas of active fire burning for some time so be aware of the dangers of trees and branches falling