06 October 2007

NSW fire ban: 6Oct07

From the Bureau of Meteorology


NSW FIRE WEATHER WARNING
Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
New South Wales
Issued at 1605 on Friday the 5th of October 2007
for Saturday 6th October

Hot, dry and windy conditions are expected to cause VERY HIGH TO EXTREME FIRE
DANGER in the following NSW Fire Areas:

Greater Hunter,
Northern Slopes, Northwestern,
Upper Central West Plains, Greater Sydney Region,

TOTAL FIRE BAN

The Commissioner, NSW Rural Fire Service will TOTALLY BAN THE LIGHTING OF FIRES
from midnight tonight [Friday 5th October] until midnight tomorrow night
[Saturday 6th October] in the following NSW Fire Areas:

Greater Hunter,
Northern Slopes, Northwestern,
Upper Central West Plains,
Greater Sydney Region,

The image is the so-called Banda Banda fire, captured 4 Oct at 1005 AEST. This image has 250 m resolution and is taken from the NASA MODIS Rapid Response Real Time site. In it, a thick plume of smoke is visible from the region of fire. A pyrocumulus cloud is also visible.


Several other nearby, but separate hotspots are also apparent in the image. The fire is burning in a large area of forest (Kumbatine, Willi Willi and Boonanghi National Parks) and wouldn't seem to be an immediate threat to property.


As of 5 Oct 1710 local time, this fire is listed as 'Going' and has burnt just over 4700 ha.


While this fire is not under the fire ban, fire conditions are predicted to be locally 'VERY HIGH' in the current forecast from BoM.


The Port Stephens fires, north of Newcastle, and now mostly contained are in the fire ban region. The previous days of more moderate weather have allowed fire fighters to better prepare for the current extreme period, deepening and strengthening containment lines. Water bombers will be in operation throughout the area tomorrow.


A fire ban is also in effect in the Alice Springs district in the southern part of NT.

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