A LARGE hazard reduction burn undertaken in the Myall Lakes area recently was one of three the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) aimed to complete before the end of winter.
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More than 1600 hectares of national park was strategically burned between the lower Myall River to northern Bennetts Beach and southern Mungo Beach on Friday, July 11.
It was the largest strategic burn by the NPWS and Rural Fire Service (RFS) this winter, with an earlier 80-hectare hazard reduction burn of Violet Hill and a smaller one near Seal Rocks.
NPWS regional manager Robert Quirk said the 1600-hectare burn was part of a strategic fuel reduction program for Myall Lakes National Park, and required specific weather conditions.
“The conditions ... allowed the 30 firefighters from the NPWS and the NSW Rural Fire Service to complete the challenging burn over the two days, with aerial support and assistance from a helicopter, as well as a boat,” he said.
He said the burn reduced the fuel load and would help prevent fire entering and leaving the park, and promote the germination of native plant seeds.
“The burn was a successful mosaic burn with approximately 80per cent of vegetation reduced across the fire ground.”
Hazard reduction burns are part of the NSW government’s $62.5million package to boost bushfire preparedness and double hazard reduction in the state’s national parks, where conditions allow.
Mr Quirk said NPWS plans to burn an average of 135,000hectares a year through more than 800 individual hazard reduction activities. No other hazard reduction burns are scheduled for the Myall Lakes in the immediate future. The NPWS will focus on two planned burns for the Tomaree Peninsula and Medowie, in Port Stephens.
