New South Wales has accelerated hazard reduction burns by 21 percent since July last year, clearing 124,000 hectares as authorities prepare for a summer of elevated fire danger driven by El Niño conditions confirmed earlier this year.
NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Trent Curtin said improved weather conditions allowed the agency to increase controlled burning despite what he called "reduced windows" for such operations in recent years. "We've seen increased rain, that's increased the amount of fuel across our landscapes," Curtin said. The expanded effort comes as above-average temperatures and below-average rainfall loom for the coming months.
Preparation Over Panic
Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib emphasized that agencies would "seize every opportunity" to continue hazard reduction burning before summer arrives. "We've been going hard," he said. "We can't control the weather, but what we can do is ensure that we're as best prepared as possible."
The bushfire danger period starts on October 1 for most of NSW, with some northern areas entering the danger period earlier. Curtin described the forecast conditions as a cause for "concern," noting that the high-risk season involves "sometimes storms as well as fires."
Multi-Agency Coordination
Representatives from more than 15 organizations attended a bushfire roundtable conference, including the NSW Rural Fire Service, Fire & Rescue NSW, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the Forestry Corporation. Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said the collaboration between agencies was crucial ahead of a "long, hot summer."
"As we see the fires that are raging across the northern hemisphere, we know that this could be us in the coming months," Sharpe said. "We are alert, we're not alarmed, but we are prepared."
The Australasian Fire Authorities Council is expected to publish its spring bushfire outlook later this month. According to the Department of Primary Industries, about 37 percent of NSW was in drought or drought-affected at the end of July.
Property Owners Bear Responsibility
Residents are being urged to conduct mechanical hazard reduction on their properties, including cleaning out gutters, trimming trees and keeping grasses low. Curtin stressed the importance of individual preparation. "We want to make sure that people are cleaning up their properties, that they're developing their bushfire survival plans," he said.
Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said her team was working with farmers to ensure they had materials on their properties to assist with firefighting, as well as plans to escape potential blazes. The focus on property-level preparedness reflects the reality that government agencies can't protect every home without active participation from landowners.
Urban Areas Not Exempt
Dib warned that people living in urban areas should not be complacent. "Sometimes people who live in urban areas make the mistake of thinking that bushfire won't come to them because they're living a long way away," he said. "There's a history of embers just jumping ahead of the fire, in some cases up to 1 kilometer."
"We'd urge people, wherever they may be, to take their precautions," Dib added.
Why This Matters:
The 21 percent increase in hazard reduction burning demonstrates what's possible when weather conditions cooperate and agencies prioritize proactive fire management over reactive crisis response. With 37 percent of NSW already in drought or drought-affected conditions and El Niño driving hotter, drier forecasts, the state's capacity to minimize fire risk depends heavily on completing controlled burns now, before October 1. The emphasis on individual property owners cleaning gutters, trimming trees, and developing survival plans reflects a practical reality: government can't be everywhere at once. Urban residents face risks too, with embers capable of jumping up to 1 kilometer ahead of fire fronts. The collaboration among 15 agencies shows institutional readiness, but the coming months will test whether expanded hazard reduction and personal responsibility can offset the natural conditions stacking against NSW.