If you have questions to ask and advice to seek, mark this upcoming information session in your calendar. 

The Mittagong branch of the Rural Fire Service (RFS), in collaboration with the Bowral Co-op, will be holding a ‘Fire Ready Day’ on Saturday, November 18. 

Senior officers will be present on the day to answer any queries about fire risks and hazards during the bush fire danger period, which officially spans from October 1 until March 31.

Inspector David Stimson from the RFS said fire safety awareness is particularly important for Highlanders in light of the unprecedented dry winter experienced in the region. 

“We’ve had an extremely dry winter. The soil moisture content has gone down dramatically. We haven’t seen it so dry for a long, long time,” he said.

It is for this reason that fire permits in the Highlands are currently suspended. 

“Before [the suspension] we had people lighting up pile burns that were escaping – they couldn’t control them because of the dry weather conditions,” Inspector Stimson said. 

Although Inspector Stimson said it is usually the period after Christmas that is most challenging in terms of fire risk in the Highlands, it is important to be prepared for the entire season, as the weather can be highly unpredictable and volatile. 

“The bush fire danger period has already begun. And it is predicted that it will be a challenging period,” he said.

“We would like to make sure people understand fire danger ratings on a daily basis, and understand warnings that are issued as each fire progresses.”

“We’ll be trying to ensure people know their level of risk, the appropriate static water supply, what to do to your property and what to do with your animals [to prepare].”

The session will run from 9am until 1pm at the Bowral Co-op. There will also be a barbecue