It has been planned for four years and was just waiting for the perfect weather conditions: Last weekend finally gave firefighters the window of opportunity to undertake some hazard reduction burns.
About 75 Fire and Rescue personnel and 45 Rural Fire Service volunteers teamed up in Lawson on Sunday to tackle bushland between Queens Road and Cliff Avenue near Korowal School.
Inspector Ray Buchanan, duty commander for Fire and Rescue based in Katoomba, said the team had to be careful of high voltage power lines and had been backed up by a helicopter which observed the action.
“It was four years in the planning and we were waiting for conducive conditions to conduct the burn,” he said.
“It was 90 per cent successful – only about 10 per cent didn’t burn.”
Personnel had returned to the area on Monday to ensure there was no reignition of fire or issues with embers, Inspector Buchanan said.
“It’s pretty much as good as you can get really so that will keep the residents protected from bushfires for, hopefully, a few years.”
It’s pretty much as good as you can get.
- Inspector Ray Buchanan
Fire and Rescue frequently help the RFS with hazard reductions, he said, and had co-partnered with the volunteers for 13 planned fire in the last non-bushfire season.
