Large hazard reduction burn for Guy Fawkes River National Park

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will commence a hazard reduction burn Thursday 6 August in Guy Fawkes River National Park.

Aerial Incendiary hazard reduction smoke plume Kittys Creek in Guy Fawkes National Park

The large 3,200 hectares burn in the remote River Flats area in the centre of the park is expected to take at least a week to complete.

The hazard reduction aims to reduce available grassy fuels from recent rain to mitigate the risks posed by wildfire, and to maintain a healthy landscape providing suitable habitat for a range of native plants and wildlife.

Smoke is not expected to impact local communities but may be visible for several days in the distance.

Guy Fawkes River National Park is currently closed.

The NPWS hazard reduction program for 2020 is focussed on essential burns to protect park neighbours, assets or significant habitat to ensure ongoing recovery of the wildlife impacted by the summer bushfires.

Undertaking burns when conditions are right to ensure they are safe and effective is an important part of managing the potential risk of bushfire to communities and the environment before next summer.

This work also provides firefighters safe zones and access where they can defend properties, should a bushfire occur.

All burns across NSW will continue to be coordinated with the RFS to ensure the impact on the community, including from smoke, are assessed at a regional level.

Details on specific burns will be made available in advance on the Rural Fire Service website, ‘Fires Near Me’ app, and on 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.

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