The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW are planning a hazard reduction burn in the Royal National Park tomorrow, Tuesday 12 May.
The 375 hectares burn in the Audley area will help protect the Park and limit the potential spread of wildfire to surrounding private properties and townships.
The burn is due to begin at about 9:30 and motorists are reminded to drive to conditions and observe and warning signs or directions from traffic controllers and fire crews.
There will be traffic control on Sir Bertram Stevens Drive south of Audley whilst the burn is occurring.
Public access to the following areas will be closed during the burning operations including:
- Winifred Falls track, Winifred Falls trail and Winifred Falls
- Warumbul picnic area
- Warumbul Road
- The Meadows fire trail and Gundamaian fire trail
- Pool Flat, Audley
Smoke from the burn may be visible in the Park, including East Heathcote, Heathcote, Engadine, Yarrawarrah, Loftus, Sutherland, Grays Pt, Gymea Bay, Yowie Bay, Caringbah, Audley and Warumbul areas, depending on wind direction for a number of days.
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.
