The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is finishing 2 very large hazard reduction burns in the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park East of Armidale and Walcha starting 11 August and continuing over the weekend.
Over 2,000 hectares will burn under low intensity from today and into the weekend completing a 10,500 ha program for national parks in the New England ahead of summer.
It's been a huge effort by local NPWS staff this season, with the size of the hazard reduction program the largest in a long time.
On top of operations within the national park estate, local NPWS crews have also worked alongside Rural Fire Service crews assisting in hazard reduction burning on private land adjoining national park.
The current hazard reduction burns south of Hillgrove will reduce naturally accumulated fine fuel loads to protect a range of private, historic and heritage assets ahead of the upcoming fire season.
National parks ground crews will be assisted by aerial ignition work later this weekend ensuring a broad scale, mosaic burn in these areas.
Oxley Wild Rivers National Park will remain open for the duration of the burn, however visitors are likely to smell and see smoke. This is not cause for concern. Smoke is likely to settle in the extensive gorge system over night and move east towards the coast during the day having no significant impact on communities.
Hazard reduction burns are essential to reduce bushfire fuel loads to help protect parks, neighbours and communities from future bushfires.
This burn is one of many hazard reduction operations undertaken by NPWS each year, many with assistance from the Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW.
All burns around the state are coordinated with the NSW Rural Fire Service to ensure the impact on the community is assessed at a regional level.
