More than 200 firefighters started a strategic backburn over 50 kilometres of trails from Wentworth Falls to Glenbrook on Monday, while a cooler weather window was in place.
And the first of a series of community meetings started on Monday night to ensure the Mountains community was fully briefed about the situation. The meeting at the School of Arts in Wentworth Falls explained current backburning operations taking place south of the Great Western Highway to put a containment line stretching from Wentworth Falls and possibly as far as Glenbrook.
Blue Mountains district Rural Fire Service public liaison officer Daniel Gordon said it was one of a number of rolling meetings scheduled up and down the Mountains over the next week to keep the public up-to-date about the Erskine Creek bushfire that remains out of control and the scheduled backburns.
Another meeting will be held at the Mid Mountains Community Centre, Mavis Wood Hall, 7 New Street, Lawson at 6.30pm on Tuesday, January 7.
Informal community briefings have been taking place in town squares - including one in Springwood and another at Wentworth Falls on Monday.
More than 200 firefighters from a variety of agencies - including National Parks, Fire and Rescue NSW and the Army are involved in this week's burn.
"We are burning off the strategic fire trails south of the Great Western Highway, with over 50 kilometres of trail being backburned to establish stronger control lines," Mr Gordon said.
More hot weather is expected on Friday.
Some residents in Wentworth Falls and Woodford were doorknocked on Sunday evening about the backburns. Light rain hampered the start that evening. Mr Gordon said it was important residents remained vigilant.
A Woodford RFS Facebook post said the plan was to "put a containment line stretching from Wentworth Falls possibly as far as Glenbrook".
"The plan is to start lighting up from the entry of the Oaks Fire Trail, with one team working down the Oaks, and a second team working behind the houses. This second line will continue down to Bedford Rd, and work its way around to the Ingar Fire Trail.
The goal is to put in a burn "deep enough so that when the fire front arrives, it has a wide berth difficult to jump".
"This is a very difficult burn to execute, but this is what we do. It is exactly the plan we followed in the 2001/2 fires that saved the southern houses of our village," the RFS said.
The Erskine Creek fire (north of Lake Burragorang, Warragamba Dam) has burnt 13,600 hectares and is out of control. The fire has progressed north in the Kings Tableland Rd area. Wentworth Falls and Woodford residents should continue to monitor conditions. The Ruined Castle and the Grose Valley fires are under control and have burnt 17,058 hectares and 19,922 hectares respectively.
Springwood RFS Community Meeting
Date: Wednesday January 8
Time: 6.30pm
Location: Blue Mountains Theatre and Community Hub, 104-108 Macquarie Road, Springwood NSW 2777
Blaxland RFS Community Meeting
Date: Thursday January 9
Time: 6.30pm
Location: Blaxland High School Hall, 3-9 Coughlan Road Blaxland NSW, 2774
