The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will conduct a hazard reduction burn Wednesday 22 September at Little Congwong in La Perouse at Kamay Botany Bay National Park.
This burn is one of many hazard reduction operations undertaken by NPWS across New South Wales each year and is supported by the NSW Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW.
Around 16 hectares will be treated to protect the properties and community and reduce the bushfire hazard to surrounding areas.
The burn will be carried out along Henry Head Lane, Congwong Management trail to Browns Rock walking track in the south western section of the Kamay Botany Bay National Park, La Perouse.
During the burn the park will be closed to visitors and all walking trails will be closed. Partial road closures as part of this operation will included Henry Head Lane and Cape Banks Road. Authorised access to neighbouring golf courses and Westpac Lifesaver Helicopter Base will be permitted. Motorists are advised to follow the directions of traffic controllers.
The NPWS hazard reduction program for 2021 will be focussed on undertaking essential burns in areas close to neighbours and important assets and protecting significant habitat to ensure ongoing recovery of the State’s wildlife impacted by the summer bushfires.
Undertaking this burn will help manage the potential risk of bushfire to communities and the environment before summer. This work also provides firefighters safe zones and access where they can defend properties should a bushfire occur.
All burns across New South Wales will continue to be coordinated with the Rural Fire Service to ensure the impact on the community, including from smoke, are assessed at a regional level.
Hazard reductions are an essential activity under the current Public Health Orders and will be conducted in a COVID-19 safe manner to ensure the safety of fire crews and the community.
COVID-19 safety briefings are provided to all staff who are required to wear masks along with their normal fire personal protective equipment. Contact tracing is also enabled via the QR code sign-in all fire crews must complete when starting.
Details on specific burns will be made available in advance on the Rural Fire Service website, ‘Fires Near Me’ app, and on the NPWS Alerts website.
For health information relating to smoke from bush fires and hazard reduction burning, visit NSW Health or the Asthma Foundation.
For up to date information on these, and other, planned hazard reduction activities, visit the Rural Fire Service.
