Forestry Corporation of NSW has commenced its program of winter hazard reduction burns this week after unsuccessful attempts were made throughout a damp April.

Forestry Corporation Protection Forester, Mick Wilson said staff had been monitoring the weather and fuel moisture to look for trends that indicate the right time to start their burns.

“There’s a narrow window of opportunity to safely complete hazard reduction burns, when it’s not too hot or damp and the wind conditions limit the impact of smoke on neighbours so if we get the right conditions we need to move quickly to complete the burn before the window closes. This week 

we’ve lit small test burns in Ballengarra State Forest, north of Port Macquarie and Yarratt State Forest near Taree,” he said.

“Planning hazard reduction burning is complex, but we’ve managed to prepare 192 kilometres of control lines which will allow us to burn around 7,000 hectares on state forests between Kempsey and Taree this year,” Mr Wilson said.

“We’ve used sophisticated laser imagery, known as LiDAR, to detect areas carrying high fuel loads and combined this with traditional methods of field fuel assessment and community consultation to select the areas to burn.

“We’ve been using small bulldozers to ensure that the control lines are accessible, safe and drained. With precise fire science and monitoring we can pin point the right times and places to get some nice low intensity mosaic burns happening ahead of fire season.

Forestry Corporation’s Hazard Reduction burns will all be visible on the Rural Fire Service’s “Fires near me” app as planned events.

The hazard reduction burns will be carefully monitored to ensure they stay within cleared containment lines, and people should stay away from any burning or recently burnt areas for their own safety.

Motorists should also take particular care when driving in smoky conditions.

For more information about hazard reduction burns, contact the Forestry Corporation Wauchope Office on 02 6585 3744.