Grass Fires Catching Hold

THE Rural Fire Service has been called to 20 grass fires in the Upper Hunter Shire Council area since January 1.

Graham Brown, district officer for the Liverpool Range Rural Fire Service said the number of grass fires this year is high and the risk of more fires is greater than ever.

“We have had a total of 27 jobs in the Upper Hunter Shire this year and 20 of those were grass fires,” said Mr Brown.

“We’ve had quite a lot of lightning strikes and a few start from machinery, such as welding and grinding even during total fire bans which is against the law,” he said.

“Using any machinery you need to be careful; we’ve had lawnmowers and slashers start fires from hitting rocks and things like that and the Councils have it right they know to use them early in the morning and then they follow it with a chase vehicle just in case, so there are procedures you can put in place,” he said.

“I’d encourage people to look around their property, see what the weather is like before you actually do anything,” Graham Brown said.

NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons warned the summer heatwaves are creating more dangerous conditions for grass fires across the state.

“The previous wet winter and now very warm summer has meant the threat of grass fires across the State has continued to increase,” Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said.

“The taller and drier the grass, the quicker the fire will move and the more intensely it will burn,” he said.

“A grass fire can cut roads and threaten property with very little warning and can move up to three times faster than a bush fire,” he said.

“If you live in or nearby areas where there is grasslands, have a plan for what you’ll do in a fire”, Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said.

More information on bush fire plans: www.myfireplan.com.au.