As the Rural Fire Service worked to completely douse a bushfire that at times raged out of control across the Tilligerry Peninsula on the weekend, police launched an investigation to find the answer that has been hot on the lips of residents: how did it start?
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This question as well as concerns about the upcoming bushfire danger period, which on Tuesday had been brought forward a month to begin on September 1, will be asked of the RFS and police at a community meeting in Lemon Tree Passage on Thursday.
“We’ll be asking what could have been done differently,” longtime Tilligerry resident Fran Corner said.
“We’re no strangers to fires out here but I’ve never seen one get so close to the town. This one roared up the peninsula.”
The meeting will be held at Club Lemon Tree from 10am.
Ms Corner said she would be raising the topic of fire evacuation points at Thursday’s meeting, which she believes need to be established across the peninsula.
“When residents get a message saying ‘evacuate now’ they have no idea where to go,” she said.
“We need fire evacuation zones around the entire peninsula.”
Firefighters first responded to the fire in Oyster Cove and Salt Ash on Friday morning.
Fuelled by strong wind, the fire was twice upgraded to ‘emergency warning’ across the weekend.
Flames licked the fence line to homes along Tilligerry Track at Tanilba Bay, and some were scorched by embers but no properties were lost in the fire. On Wednesday, the fire was ‘under control’ and at ‘advice’ level.
Parliamentary secretary to the Hunter, Scot MacDonald, advised residents that now is a good time to update or create a bush fire survival plan.
“It’s really concerning that we’ve already gone through a large scale bushfire when we’re not in the fire danger period yet,” he said.
“Now we’re moving into a period of dangerous fire conditions. We have a tough seven months ahead.”
Drought conditions and elevated fire risk has prompted the RFS to bring forward the fire danger period to start on September 1. It will end March 31.
During fire danger period safety permits will be required for pile and hazard reduction burning. Penalties apply if fires are lit without permits.