There have been 31 illegal or careless fires lit in the Chifley/Lithgow Rural Fire Service (RFS) zone by property owners so far this financial year, including six in Lithgow.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Twenty-nine people were issued with warning letters and two with penalty notices.
With the region now experiencing cooler weather many land owners have been conducting burning activities on their property, and while this is allowed, the RFS say strict rules must be followed.
Chifley/Lithgow Team RFS Inspector Mick Holland said members of the public must abide by the law when conducting hazard reduction burns on their properties.
“Penalties apply for failing to notify the NSW RFS and your neighbours that you are planning to light a fire, for allowing fires to escape or by not abiding by the conditions of a fire permit,” he said.
Earlier this month a Lithgow land owner was issued $3300 in penalty notices for lighting a fire without notifying the RFS and for leaving the fire unattended.
“The fire was intense and uncontrolled, burning towards buildings on a nearby property,” Insp Holland said.
“Many volunteer firefighters worked to prevent the fire from destroying nearby neighbouring properties.
“The decision to impose penalty notices was not taken lightly.”
Of the 31 illegal/careless fires lit in the Chifley/Lithgow RFS zone this financial year, 16 occurred in Bathurst, nine in Oberon and six in Lithgow.
For more information contact your local fire control centre on 1300 258 737.