High fire risk sparks warning

CONDITIONS are ripe for a fierce fire season and Griffith Rural Fire Service (RFS) has warned people to start preparing now.

The RFS will begin hazard reduction burns at Scenic Hill on Saturday but zone manager Kevin Adams said people needed to stop being complacent and take responsibility for their own backyards.

With the official bushfire season starting on November 1, the RFS has launched its Prepare Act Survive campaign aimed at encouraging people to take action and plan what they will do in the event of a fire.

"This is not just for farmers, even people in town will be affected by a bushfire so they need to prepare around their own homes," Superintendent Adams said.

"Embers can travel up to eight kilometres in some cases so if we have a bushfire and get an ember attack, those embers could travel into homes."

Superintendent Adams urged people to clear flammable items such as woodpiles, rubbish and unused furniture away from their houses and to clean out gutters.

"We are doing what we can to protect the community but people need to look after their own backyards," he said.

"The message this bush fire season is clear: to give you and your property the best chance of survival you need to plan and do it now.

"Most people know they should have a plan but put it off, thinking it won't happen to them.

"As we have seen with recent fires in northern NSW, fire can approach quickly, and catch people off guard if you are not adequately prepared."

A specialised RFS crew began hazard reduction works last week at Lake Wyangan, Nericon and Darlington Point, as well as a number of locations closer to the CBD.

RFS community safety officer Matthew Ross said the hazard reduction would assist in preparing fire trails and reducing fuel loads, which were higher than in recent years.

RFS firefighters have attended more than 2400 bush and grassfires across the state in the past three months alone, yet only 25 per cent of NSW residents have a bushfire survival plan.