RURAL Fire Service crews from outside the Lower North Coast Zone can now be brought in to battle a patchwork of fires in the Kempsey and Nambucca shires.
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The course for that action has been made possible with the declaration of a Section 44 under the Rural Fires Act.
"The Section 44 will allow for additional resources from out of area to assist local resources with combat and control of these fires, and give local resources a much needed break," Lower North Coast district officer Jamie Laws said in a general email to local members.
Sent late last night, district officer Laws said: "The past 48 hours has been a very challenging time with a substantial increase in the number of fires within the Lower North Coast Zone
"Kempsey Airport recorded 65kph wind gusts at around 11.30am today (Saturday) which resulted in an increase in fire behaviour and new fires occurring."
The situation as of 9pm last night was:
Seale Road Fire - Going (reached Emergency level today, currently at Watch & Act)
Gilmores Gully Fire - Going
Jocks Rd, Collombatti - Going
Racing Track, Turners Flat - Being Controlled (reached Watch & Act)
Yammacoona Way, Dondingalong - Being Controlled (reached Watch & Act)
Racing Track Fire, Turners Flat - Being Controlled (reached Watch & Act)
Eight Mile Creek Rd, Wittitrin - Contained
Willi Willi Rd, Temagog - Contained (reached Watch & Act)
River St, West Kempsey - Contained
Queen St, South Kempsey - Patrol
John Lane Rd, Yarravel - Patrol
Elliots Rd, Tamban - Patrol
Congarinni Rd South, Congarinni
Irvines Rd, Tewinga - Patrol (reached Watch & Act).
Related:
"On behalf of the zone staff can I please individually thank all those members who have spent numerous hours on firegrounds across the zone, and to those family members who are supporting you whilst being away," district officer Laws said.
"Unfortunately there will be no rest over the coming 24-48 hours with windy conditions predicted to continue over Sunday and into Monday."
