NSW: NPWS to review how it carries out hazard reduction burns

AAP General News (Australia)
12-27-2001
NSW: NPWS to review how it carries out hazard reduction burns

SYDNEY, Dec 27 AAP - The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will review
how it carries out hazard reduction burns after bushfires swept across areas already backburned.

NPWS director general Brian Gilligan said in some cases the fires were so intense that
recent hazard reduction burns had made little difference.

"One of the very tragic lessons of the last few days is we have had significant areas
burnt that were the subject of hazard reduction burns in recent times," Mr Gilligan said.

"This fire has shown no respect for those.

"We will be reviewing how we do them and we will be reviewing our fire management plans."

In the case of the Royal National Park, south of Sydney, more than 80 per cent had
already been destroyed, despite recent hazard reduction burns, Mr Gilligan said.

He expected the bulk of the remaining 20 per cent to be destroyed within the next 24 hours.

The park was almost completely wiped out in January 1994 and suffered fires again in
December 1997.

The NPWS would review how the park handles visitors, Mr Gilligan said.

"Provided we manage visitors carefully then I think we can minimise their impacts."

AAP rk/arb/cdh

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES NSW BURNS

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