THE Dungay Creek fire that has been burning for the last three weeks has merged with the Racecourse Trail fire creating an out of control bushfire emergency renamed the Brushy Mountain Complex.
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The fire has already burnt through 11,000-plus hectares of bushland in the Werrikimbe National Park inadvertently sweeping across three shires; Kempsey, Walcha and now the Hastings.
The fire is now classified Section 44 – a declared bushfire emergency, which means State Government resources will directly contribute to its extinguishing.
A coordinated incident management team headed by Mid Coast Manager, Superintendent Kam Baker, is working out of Wauchope Rural Fire Services Headquarters with the assistance of units from Walcha and Kempsey and members of the National Parks and Wildlife Services.
Four helicopters have been made available to assist with mapping and situation awareness and containment including a Bell Jet Ranger, Bell Long Ranger, and two Bell 212s capable of carrying up to 2000 litres of water each.
Matt Inwood, Public Liaison officer with the NSW Rural Fire Service said the efforts to contain the blaze are being coordinated with more than 50 personnel, 20 trucks and Remote Area Fire Fighting teams but the location is proving a real challenge.
“We have a long way to go – the terrain is rugged, but we have plant machinery and dozers working on the containment and the fall back lines,” Mr Inwood said.
Although a predicted weather change on Friday will certainly bring relief, it can’t be relied on.
“The incident management team is working solidly on the strategy to get this under control. Everyone is on board and the districts are now working as one.”
A fuel tanker has arrived at the Rollands Plains Sports Ground for refuelling helicopters that have begun to arrive to water bomb throughout the afternoon.
Updates are available at the RFS website
.