Unseasonably dry weather conditions has seen the Rural Fire Service bring forward the official start to the fire season for nine local government areas; Warrumbungle, Gilgandra, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Mid-Western Regional Council, Mid-Coast, the Blue Mountains, as well as Bathurst, Oberon and Lithgow.

Wagga’s danger period traditionally doesn’t start until November 1, and RFS district officer Bradley Stewart says this year will be no different.

“The statute bush fire danger period across the state of NSW is from the 1st of October until the 31st of March,” Mr Stewart said.

“Traditionally within the Riverina we’ve always delayed the start of the bushfire danger period until the 1st of November because we are so far south in the state that we don’t see our actual bush fire danger becoming a reality until that later part of the year in November/December.”

The bushfire danger period requires people to obtain a permit before lighting a fire. That will take effect on September 1st in 28 local government areas, but once again residents in the Riverina won’t need to get a permit here until November 1st.

“The recent rain that we’ve had and the level of curing (moisture levels) in the grass mean we will probably still go on November 1st,” Mr Stewart said.

In short, the Riverina is safe for now, however the Rural Fire Service says action now will minimise the region being sorry later.

“What we do encourage is for property owners that have got cropping and or grazing country, with piles of vegetation on their property that they’re thinking of burning off, to do it now while conditions are good, and when they don’t need a fire permit,” Mr Stewart said.

“Property owners need to plan their fire breaks so they will be prepared before the fire danger season starts.”

Seasonal forecasting meetings will begin next month.

“We are heavily involved with bringing our fleet of more than 200 trucks in for maintenance purposes to insure that they’re safe to operate on the fire-ground and on roads,” Mr Stewart said. 

City dwellers can also prepare with a fire plan.

The RFS will be teaching children fire safety at the Wagga Wagga Christian College fete, which runs from 2pm until 7pm on Saturday, August 26.

“We will have members out there with an inflatable building that we fill with smoke,” Mr Stewart said.

“The idea is to teach and engage with young people to ‘get down low and go, go, go’, and the importance of having smoke alarms.”