Black Summer bushfire coronial inquest hearing scheduled for Taree in 2022

The inquiry will commence with an opening address at the Coroners Court of NSW, Lidcombe on August 25, 2021.

Public hearings have been scheduled to take place at various regional locations.

Read more: Johns River residents reflect on the impact of ferocious fires

In September, the inquiry will travel to Cooma and Queanbeyan and in 2022 it will travel to other parts of regional NSW.

The inquiry is aimed at investigating over 40 blazes which burned through six per cent of the state, took 26 lives and destroyed nearly 2,500 homes.

Mid North Coast communities were among those who still bear the scars of one of the worst bushfire seasons in decades that claimed two local lives.

Read more: The Manning bushfire crisis through your eyes

At Johns River, where the state recorded one of several tragic deaths, isolation, communication and awareness about emergency action, emerged among the challenges. They were met with dangerously erratic conditions and fire with a ferocity no-one could have predicted.

The fire claimed the life of resident, 63-year-old Julie Fletcher. The pain of losing one of their own still hurts this small community today.

Read more: Tributes flow for fourth NSW fire victim Barry Parsons

Barry Parsons of Willawarrin was the fourth person to die after fire ripped through hectares of bushland near Kempsey.

He was discovered in bushland on the southern end of the Kyuna Track after a 'super-fire' tore a path of destruction through the area and destroyed homes.

The Coroner's Court will livestream the opening address and all hearings via its website.

Hearings have been scheduled to take place as follows:

Submissions have closed for the Southern Region fires.

Submissions for the Northern and Central Region fires have been extended and will be accepted until Friday, 1 October 2021.

To make a submission, use the online form located here.

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