Information from Blue Mountains Fire Control Centre, Katoomba on Bush Fire Situation in the Blue Mountains Council area.
Issued at 1700hrs on 13th December 2009
Grose Head South Fire
Current Situation
Today NSW Rural Fire Service firefighters from Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and National Parks Wildlife Service have continued to strengthen containment lines for the Grose Head South fire, in a remote area, 5 kilometres west of Yarramundi on Kariwoga Ridge south of the Grose River. The fire has burnt approximately 70 hectares of bushland in remote and rugged terrain. The fire is being controlled, and there are no immediate threats to property.
Currently there is no active fire along the fire edge but crews and aircraft are continuing to extinguish hot spots and smoking trees across the entire fire area. Tomorrow Remote Area Firefighting crews along with the aircraft will continue to work on extinguishing these hot spots and monitoring the fire edge.
Heavy earth moving equipment has cleared the Bees Nest Trail between Springwood Ridge and Shaws Ridge north of Winmalee to consolidate containment lines. This will continue today and tomorrow between the western side of Booker Road Hawkesbury Heights to the eastern side of the playing fields at St Columba's High School Winmalee as a precautionary measure as part of the overall containment strategy.
This afternoon the air operations base will move to Tom Hunter Park on Hunter Way, Faulconbridge. Residents around the park area will see aircraft and support vehicle movements around the area throughout today and the next few days. Tom Hunter Park will remain closed until further notice
Advice
While there is no immediate threat to property, people in the areas of Hawkesbury Heights, Bowen Mountain, Grose Vale, Grose Wold, Winmalee and Yarramundi should continue to monitor the situation. Follow your Bush Fire Survival Plan. Whilst weather conditions for Monday and Tuesday are mild the weather will deteriorate on Wednesday and Thursday which may cause an increase in fire intensity.
Weather Forecast
Monday 14/12/09 – A few showers. E/SE winds to 30km/h. Maximum Temperature of 25 degrees and Minimum Relative Humidity of 50%.
Tuesday 15/12/09 - Shower or two. SE/NE winds to 25km/h. Maximum Temperature of 29 degrees. Minimum Relative Humidity about 40%.
Wednesday 16/12/09 - Dry. NE winds to 20km/h. Maximum Temperature near 35 and Minimum Relative Humidity near 25%
Thursday 17/12/09 - Fine - Maximum Temperature near 40 degrees
Information
National Parks and Council Reserve closures
All walking trails in the Springwood Ridge, Blue Gum swamp and Shaws Ridge north of Winmalee will remain closed until further notice. For further information on National Park Closures go to the National Parks & Wildlife Service website www.environment.nsw.gov.au/nationalparks
Bush Fire Survival Plan
If you live in or near the bush It is your responsibility to prepare yourself, your family and your home for the threat of bush fire. You need to make the decision to either Leave Early or Stay and Defend. Regardless of your decision you must prepare your property to give you, your family and your home the best chance of survival.
For information on obtaining and preparing a Bush Fire Survival Plan go to the RFS website at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au
· Updates on this fire and the current and the Fire Danger Rating in your area are available at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au or by calling call 1800 NSW RFS (1800 679 737).
· For information on Neighbourhood Safer Places (NSP) go to www.rfs.nsw.gov.au
· For information in relation to bush fire hazards and preparing your property contact your local Rural Fire Brigade Station or your local NSW RFS Fire Control Centre.
· If you need to report a new fire or require urgent assistance, dial Triple Zero (000).
PREPARE. ACT. SURVIVE.
Authorised by Incident Controller Supt. Tom Shirt, Blue Mountains Fire Control Centre.
Issued by the Incident Management Team on behalf of the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service.
Inspector Paul McGrath
Public Liaison Officer
Blue Mountains District
NSW Rural Fire Service
Emergency Services Centre
Cnr Bathurst Rd & Valley Rd
KATOOMBA NSW 2780
This email message is intended only for the addressee(s) and contains information which may be confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender and delete this email and any copies or links to this email completely and immediately from your system. Views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, and are not necessarily the views of the NSW Rural Fire Service.
