Hazard reduction burns and unexplained fires have caused concern in several parts of the shire this month.
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A flare-up of a controlled burn in South Durras on Monday concerned residents, who say the burn came “only hundred of metres” from their houses.
Resident Joslyn van der Moolensaid she was “very alarmed”.
“I was very alarmed to find out that a controlled burn was done last week only hundreds of metres from my brand new house. It had flared up in the tall forest trees in Monday’s strong winds,” she said.
Other brigades outside of Durras were called to assist to extinguish the flare up on Monday. This follows a hazard reduction burn of the land by South Durras Rural Fire Service crews on Wednesday, May 18.
John Perkins said it was a spectacular site, but should not have happened and habitat trees had been disturbed in the burn.
“A tree that was approximately 200 years old and was one of the largest trees on this parcel of land was burnt and fell over,” he said.
“It could have been so easy to avoid fire damage to this tree during this burn.”
Far South Coast Rural Fire Service manager John Cullen said he was very happy to speak to any residents with concerns.
Mr Cullen said the fire was a strategic burn to protect Durras and many volunteers had “put in an enormous amount of work”.
He would be investigating the circumstances of the burn next week and would make further comment then.
Meanwhile, in the Deua River Valley, Moruya, residents have complained that a fire escaped from a private property, moving onto neighbours land and tying up National Parks and Wildlife Service and NSW Forestry crews for sometime.
“For over a week local brigades, National Parks and Forestry have been managing a fire, that escaped from private property, up the Deua River Valley,” a resident said.
“There seems to be a tendency for people to light up if they see smoke from elsewhere.
“They need to inform their neighbours, their local fire brigade and Fire Control if they intend to do any burning off.”
Moruya Fire and Rescue crews were called on April 23 to a fire south of Moruya where about a hectare of bush was alight. It had spread to an adjacent yard, burning a trailer.
Crews said the fast moving fire was being pushed by wind speeds up to 50kms an hour and grew to roughly five hectares before crews were able to quickly contain the fire with assistance from RFS Moruya, Tuross, Bingie and Broulee and Fire and Rescue crews from Batemans Bay and Narooma. RFS crews stayed on scene to black out the fire.