NSW: New fire districts declared ahead of dangerous summer

AAP General News (Australia)
08-15-2004
NSW: New fire districts declared ahead of dangerous summer

SYDNEY, Aug 15 AAP - NSW is facing a potentially very dangerous fire season but rezoning
the state's fire areas will help ensure information about blazes is more accurate, the
Rural Fire Service (RFS) said today.

The NSW Rural Fire Service and the state government today said the new fire districts
would ensure weather information and total fire ban announcements would be more specific
to local areas.

"Under the previous system, a Total Fire Ban would apply to the whole weather forecast
district, whether the actual conditions required it or not," Emergency Services Minister
Tony Kelly said.

"This meant that farmers and land managers could not use fire for agricultural or hazard
reduction purposes and that firefighters were on high alert even though the conditions
may not require it."

Mr Kelly said because some weather forecast districts are quite large it can be prime
bushfire weather with hot, dry winds at one end, but raining at the other.

"The new NSW Fire Areas will be much more representative of local conditions," he said.

Mr Koperberg said NSW residents needed to start preparing now for the fire season ahead.

"Unless we get significant rain, NSW is potentially facing a very serious fire season
because of the dry conditions," he said.

"The Bush Fire Danger Period was declared two months early for many areas and fire
permits are now required across eastern NSW."

He urged residents to make sure they knew which fire area they were in by checking
the RFS website or calling 1800 049 333.

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KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES NSW

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