NSW Rural Fire Service begin backburns ahead of fire season

Rural fire crews will begin backburning amid concern as Sydney hasn’t seen decent rainfall in close to two weeks.

Sydney hasn’t seen decent rainfall in close to two weeks, causing concern as rural fire crews prepare to start much-needed backburning.

Rural Fire Service crews are preparing to burn as much as 7000 hectares across New South Wales, as part of its annual preparations ahead of the fire season.

But as dry weather continues, backburning has become more difficult as conditions remain unsuitable.

The RFS has burned less than a quarter of its target for this time of the year.

Sydneysiders can expect to wake to a blanket of smoke haze this week following hazard reduction burns ahead of the summer bushfire season. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

NSW Rural Fire Service conduct backburn during dry season. Picture: NSW RFS

Sydney has seen its longest dry spell in two years, after there was little to no rain recorded since May 20.

“There were spatters of rain on Thursday in some suburbs but nothing that was heavy enough to register at the Observatory Hill weather station where official records for Sydney are kept,” Weatherzone said.

“That means it has now exceeded the 13-day streak from June 6 to 19, 2022.”

The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts a dry winter ahead, with a high chance of below average rainfall for large areas of Australia for June to August.

Warmer daytime temperatures are also expected in the coming months.

Smoke is expected to hang around Sydney in the coming days as back burning operations are underway. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

“Southern areas have at least twice the normal chance of winter rainfall falling in the bottom 20 per cent of records,” the bureau’s extended prediction technical lead, Catherine Ganter, said.

The bureau forecasts northern Australia will experience very low rainfall from May to September as well as heightened bushfire risk.

These dry spells can increase the normal bushfire risk in the Northern Territory and pockets of New South Wales and northwestern South Australia.

Backburning has already begun in Queensland, with parts of Brisbane being covered in smoke this week as a result.

Today crews from the #NSWRFS will continue to assist NPWS with a large 1000ha hazard reduction burn in the Bluff River Nature Reserve, 15km southwest of Tenterfield. The smoke from this burn is likely to affect Tenterfield, Casino and surrounding suburbs. https://t.co/XrE2qbcxpnpic.twitter.com/RqvUrilEFu

— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) May 30, 2023

Sydneysiders can expect to see smoke over the coming days as backburning begins.

Ms Ganter said inland southern areas were also at risk of frost during these drier months.

“Even though average minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to be warmer than usual this winter, there will still be times of cold wintry conditions,” she said.

“This can increase the frost risk when there are still nights that are clear of cloud cover.”

Originally published as NSW Rural Fire Service begin backburns ahead of fire season