While much of the state was in the second-highest fire danger rating – extreme – the Central West local government areas of Bland, Tamora, Laughlin, Dubbo, Narromine, Forbes, Parkes and Weddin were in the highest – catastrophic.
Rowers from the Glebe Rowing Club prepare to take to the water at Blackwattle Bay before the heat of the day.Credit: Kate Geraghty
The RFS advised farmers in the Dubbo, Narromine and Wellington areas to stop harvesting regularly and check weather conditions against advice in the Grain Harvesting Guide, with the advice applicable all week. A number of fires in recent years were started by sparks from harvesting machinery in hot, windy conditions, the fire service said.
Millington said there were 27 fires across the state, four of which were uncontained, but the biggest risk was new fires, especially in the catastrophic fire areas. In the Central West this would mostly mean grass fires, which don’t become as big as bushfires but can move extremely quickly and threaten homes.
Millington said crews had done a “fantastic job” of containing the existing fires, and the RFS had pre-positioned resources across the state, including additional strike teams, large air tankers and the RFS Chinook helicopter.
