An environmental group says Eurobodalla Shire Council has failed to come to terms with the growing fire danger in the area.
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Natural Coast Alliance spokesman Brett Stevenson said in the recent LEP negotiations, Mayor Liz Innes supported high-fire-risk areas identified by the Rural Fire Service (RFS), to be opened up for sub-division and development.
"The Rural Fire Service has stated development in these areas - 20 per cent of the rural lands in the Eurobodalla - will put lives, property and RFS staff and volunteers at high risk of injury and death," Mr Stevenson said.
He said councillors needed to "heed the warnings from the North Coast fires and not allow further development outside the town centres without meeting all the requirements laid out in the RFS's planning for bushfire protection legislation and guidelines".
He said the Eurobodalla Shire Council "must never again allow its bushfire management plan and drought plan to fall so far out of date".
"The council needs to step up in preparing the community for bushfires, especially with the recent budget cuts to the RFS and the huge rate of resignations of firefighters across Australia, including RFS volunteer fire fighters," he said.
"As a matter of urgency, the council needs to update its bushfire-prone-land maps to reflect current conditions, so that the community can be fully aware of bushfire risk.
"Council also needs to lobby the NSW State Government to reverse the recent cuts to the RFS budget, and increase the funding to this crucial government agency."
Eurobodalla Shire Council's bush fire hazard management documents: www.esc.nsw.gov.au/living-in/about/emergency-information/bushfire-management
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