A hazard reduction burn will temporarily close the Awaba Bay section of Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area from Wednesday 23 November, weather permitting.
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) in conjunction with Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) and Lake Macquarie City Council will conduct the burn, NPWS Area Manager Mitchell Carter said.
'The burn encourages biodiversity by prompting regrowth and germination of key native plant species, and also reduces bushfire risk to nearby properties, wildlife and cultural heritage,' Mr Carter said.
'We'll burn around 20 hectares between Marmong and Bolton Points on Wednesday. We will be taking advantage of a small window of opportunity to conduct this burn following recent wet conditions.'
'Anyone driving in the area, particularly along The Ridgeway, is advised to drive to conditions and respect any temporary traffic control measures that may be in place.
'The entire Awaba Bay section of Lake Macquarie SCA and adjoining bushland to the south near the Bolton Clark Macquarie View Retirement Village will be closed from Tuesday to ensure public safety and allow for effective operations.
The burn area is to the east of The Ridgeway, and between Bolton Point and Marmong Point, and will reopen once it has been assessed as safe and any tree hazards managed.
Regular monitoring of weather and fire-ground conditions, enables the NPWS to adjust planning leading up to and immediately prior to commencement of every burn which may require rescheduling burns as required.
The NPWS hazard reduction program for 2022/23 focusses on essential burns to protect park neighbours, assets or significant habitat to ensure ongoing recovery of the wildlife impacted by the summer bushfires.
More than 1,000 NPWS staff are trained firefighters and involved with hazard reduction work including implementing burns and maintaining safe zones.
All burns across NSW will continue to be coordinated with the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) to ensure the impact on the community, including from smoke, are assessed at a regional level.
Details on specific burns will be made available in advance from the RFS and on the RFS 'Fires Near Me' website and app and on the Alerts for NSW National Parks webpage.
For Park alerts, go to the Alerts for NSW National Parks webpage and simply scroll down, write 'Lake Macquarie' in the 'Keyword' field, hit 'Search' and then click on 'Closed areas'.
For health information relating to smoke from bush fires and hazard reduction burning, visit the NSW Health website or the Asthma Foundation.
For up to date information on these, and other, planned hazard reduction activities, visit the RFS.
