The NSW Rural Fire Service is now investigating the cause of a fire that threatened homes within a residential estate at Fern Bay on the weekend.
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More than 80 hectares of bush within the Worimi Conversational Lands around Seaside estate was burned by a fire that flared up on Saturday afternoon.
“It is undetermined at this stage whether there are any suspicious circumstances,” RFS Operational Officer Mark Tobin said. “The incident is now with RFS investigators.”
The Fern Bay fire was one of three that firefighters responded to during Saturday’s excruciatingly hot and windy conditions. The fire danger rating for January 5 was “very high”.
Lower Hunter RFS crews, which includes those from Port Stephens, had been part of firefighting efforts at Hexham earlier on Saturday.
An air tanker was used to contain the largest of the three fires, at Ash Island, which burnt 102 hectares of wetland.
Crews battled to protect a retirement village at Sandgate from a second blaze that started in Hexham.
The blaze closed within metres of units at the Calvary St Joseph’s Retirement Community on Old Maitland Road. Both fires were under control by 4pm.
RFS received reports of a fire burning out of control behind the Seaside estate, believed to have started along the beach access trail, about 5.43pm.
About 12 RFS appliances and four from National Parks and Wildlife Services attended and worked to bring the blaze under control.
RFS and NPWS were assisted by NSW Fire and Rescue crews.
A helicopter that had been working at Hexham earlier in the afternoon was called to assist with firefighting efforts at Fern Bay.
The fire burned towards homes on Dune Drive.
“The fire was at the back of the estate burning at the rear of houses,” Mr Tobin said. “No properties came under direct threat. The hot and windy conditions is what made the fire spread so rapidly.”
Residents of the estate were not evacuated, instead told to adhere to the advice of firefighters on the ground.
A change in weather eased conditions across the fireground about 9pm, allowing firefighters to gain the upper hand in controlling the blaze and to downgrade the threat level from “watch and act” to “advice”.
Nelson Bay Road was temporarily closed on Sunday due to thick smoke caused by the fire and to allow firefighters to carry out back burning operations.
The fire was marked as “contained” on Sunday about 8pm.
RFS and NPWS fire crews remained on the fireground until noon on Monday.
NPWS took over control of the site on Monday, as a large per cent of the fire was within park lands.
Mr Tobin said now was not the time for residents to relax on fire safety.
“People still need to be vigilant. We’re only halfway through the fire season,” he said.
“Conditions are expected to heat up as we get towards the end of summer.
“People become complacent when there’s a cool shift like we’re experiencing now. They think there will be no more fires, that the fire season is over.
“That’s not the case. The vegetation is still dry, and more hot weather is coming.
“Now is the time to make sure you have a Bush Fire Survival Plan in place and prepare your homes.”
The bush fire danger period ends March 31.
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