Without well-established asset protection zones – a buffer between bushland and buildings – fire fighters said this month’s fire would have been much worse.

“Residents along Cabbage Tree Road have maintained good APZs which makes our job much easier,” acting manager of the Lower Hunter fire district Martin Siesmen said.

“This has been part of our planning and push to have people prepare their bushfire survival plan.”

Mr Siesmen said community engagement had always been a focus but noted that the NSW RFS had put increased emphasis on property preparation these past 15 years. A message reinforced in recent history.

“Over the next few months we’ll be going back to these properties to reinforce the message that these APZs are working – we don’t want them to forget this. Fighting this fire was a real collaborative effort, from the preparation of property owners to police closing down roads,” he said.

“It was an all-agency event and without this wider assistance the work wouldn’t happen.” 

The fire began with a lightning strike off Masonite Road, Tomago, on Monday January 8. It was one of 14 ignition points in the Lower Hunter that day. The Tomago fire intensified over the following days and forced the closure of Newcastle Airport four times in two days.

It was eventually brought under control a week after it began, having burnt through scrub between Tomago, Williamtown and Campvale, nearing Medowie.

“If you overlay the this fire and the areas it burned, with the 2013 event, they’re very similar,” Mr Siesmen said.

“We can’t predict when or where a fire will start but the paths they take will always act in similar ways.”

While two properties were damaged on Masonite Road in 2013 fire fighters were able to prevent a repeat.

“In this event we’ve had no reports of structural assets being damaged other than some fencing,” Mr Siesmen said.

“Under this level of threat that’s sensational. The damage was absolutely minimal considering the conditions.”

This fire being within five years of the last did not surprise Mr Siesmen. While this fire started of natural causes the previous event involved fires spread by arson (Heatherbrae) and arcing powerlines (Salt Ash).

“Where you have bushland near urban areas you will have more fires – unfortunately we have a track record of fire around here,” he said.

“Obviously we would like to do more hazard reduction but in any year the window of opportunity is small and it is weather dependent.”