Bushfires: rain brings respite to weary warriors

NSW firefighters will enjoy ‘a much-needed break’ with rain and calmer conditions giving authorities ‘the most positive outlook in weeks’.

Firefighters in NSW will enjoy “a much-needed break” this week, with rain and calmer conditions giving authorities “the most positive outlook in weeks”.

After a horror season that claimed 20 lives in the state, ­destroyed 2162 homes and damaged a further 849, the NSW Rural Fire Service will take advantage of up to 30mm of forecast rain to “focus fire containment and backburning” ahead of a possible ­return to dangerous conditions later this month.

On Monday night, 107 fires still burned across NSW, 32 of which were not contained. While most were at advice level, a fire at Good Good in the Snowy Mountains was escalated to watch and act.

“We’ll wait to see where it falls and how much, but we’ve heard 20 or 30mm might fall in some areas. We would really welcome that,” RFS spokesman Ben Shepherd told The Australian.

“The rain will dictate strategies going forward, and will change where we backburn and our other strategies, especially how close we can get to the fires.

“It would allow us to focus our containment efforts, and give firefighters a much-needed break.

“It could be the biggest break we’ve had all season.

“So we’ve got fingers and everything crossed that the rain comes.”

Mr Shepherd noted that while the rain was part of predicted storm activity, the likelihood of lightning strikes starting fires was a lesser concern because of the moisture.

“At least any storms associated with this change are combined with good falls of rain,” he said

“We’re also well aware we’re only in the second week of ­January. We still have a number of months left this season.

“By no means will this end the fire season.”

While also benefiting from a cooler and wetter week, firefighters in Victoria continue to battle 19 fires in the state, including one blaze in East Gippsland that flared to emergency level on Monday.

“There is a very, very active fire right in the middle of this that will continue to burn for some weeks, if not months,” Victorian Country Fire Authority Steve Warrington said.

“The next few days give us an opportunity to track that edge.

‘‘It is the most dangerous ­period of the firefighting period, as our crews start leaving and pushing back into the fire edge where we have trees falling.”

In South Australia, which is not expected to receive the same levels of rain as NSW and Victoria, Country Fire Service chief officer Mark Jones said he expected outbreaks to continue across the fire zone on Kangaroo Island for the next two weeks.

Damage assessment crews on the island continued work on Monday, where 65 homes have been lost to fires this season.

In Western Australia, an emergency warning was issued on Monday for an out-of-control fire in the suburb of Anketell, about 40km south of Perth.

Jordan Notara, senior forecaster at the Bureau of Meteorology, said eastern parts of NSW could see “widespread showers” of 30mm, and up to 80mm in other isolated areas.

Rain and milder conditions are also predicted to move across ­Victoria.

Ms Notara said the rainfalls and storms could hasten the collapse of fire-damaged trees in events that have continued to close roads across the state.

“Risks resulting from the storm include wind gusts, which are a ­relevant factor for areas affected by the bushfires as burnt trees will become more susceptible to falling,” she said.

“There is an increasing chance of severe thunderstorms (in NSW) that may bring heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding.

Ms Notara also said for the next seven days, NSW was “trending away from the dryer, warmer and windier fire weather conditions that have been a feature of the past months”.