Motorists and residents near Armidale and Uralla are being warned to expect smoke this weekend, with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) planning an 800 hectare hazard reduction burn in the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park.
The burn is planned for Saturday, 8 August to Sunday, 9 August, weather permitting, and is located east of Mihi Falls on the edge of the Salisbury Waters section of the park.
NPWS said smoke may affect Spring Camp, Enmore and Blue Knobby Roads, and urged drivers to take care and adjust to conditions.
People with asthma or other respiratory problems are advised to keep clear of the area, or to stay indoors with windows and doors closed and follow their health plan. For health advice on smoke from bushfires and hazard reduction burns, NPWS pointed residents to NSW Health and Asthma Australia.
NPWS said the burn is designed to reduce fuel loads in the area, helping to protect the park, wildlife, neighbouring properties and local communities from the impact of future wildfires.
For their own safety, the public should not enter closed areas while the operation is underway. Trails within the closure will reopen once the area has been assessed as safe, and NPWS is urging visitors to check its Alerts page for up to date information before heading out.
The burn is one of many hazard reduction operations carried out by NPWS across NSW each year, many of them in partnership with the Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW.
People with known health conditions can sign up for air quality reports, forecasts and alerts by email or SMS from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. More information on hazard reduction activities is available from the NSW Rural Fire Service and via the NSW Government’s Hazards Near Me website and app.
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