Iconic fire danger rating signs on roadsides across NSW are getting a digital facelift, with the Rural Fire Service (RFS) set to provide real-time fire risk information to communities via remotely operated signs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More than 200 digital fire warning signs are being rolled out, as the state approaches bushfire season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The signs, which are powered by solar panels, are automatically updated each day in line with fire danger ratings on the RFS website. The ratings are informed by data from the Bureau of Meteorology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The digital upgrade means RFS volunteers will no longer need to manually change the signs daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The signs use the revised Australian Fire Danger Rating System, which includes four categories for fire danger: Moderate (green), High (yellow), Extreme (orange) and Catastrophic (red), with simple actions for the community to take at each level. On days when there is minimal risk, \u2018no rating\u2019 is used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The state\u2019s north, where six local government areas (LGAs) are already in Bush Fire Danger Period, has been prioritised for the sign rollout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From 1 September, a further 32 local government areas in the north and south of the state will enter the Bush Fire Danger Period, as warm, dry conditions increase the fire risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eleven of the 32 areas are entering the danger period a month earlier than usual, with the prolific growth of vegetation after three years of wet weather adding to the heightened fire risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This comes as fire activity increases across NSW and Section 44 bush fire emergency declarations are in place for Kempsey, Nambucca and Clarence Valley LGAs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Section 44 arrangements ensure coordinated efforts are in place to battle the almost 30 fires burning across the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hundreds of volunteer firefighters, with the help of aircrews and our new Chinook helicopter, are currently working to contain fires across NSW.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From 1 September, the following local government areas are beginning their Bush Fire Danger Period one month earlier than usual: Tamworth, Bogan, Coonamble, Walgett, Warren, Moree, Gwydir, Narrabri, Gilgandra, Warrumbungle, and Midwestern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From 1 September, the following LGAs also begin their Bush Fire Danger Period: Muswellbrook, Singleton, Kempsey, Nambucca, Mid-Coast, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Clarence Valley, Ballina, Byron, Tweed, Bellingen, Coffs Harbour, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley, Gunnedah, Liverpool Plains, Upper Hunter, Bega Valley, Eurobodalla, and Shoalhaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is in addition to the six LGAs that commenced the danger period on 1 August: Armidale Regional, Walcha, Uralla, Glen Innes Severn, Inverell, and Tenterfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once a Bushfire Danger Period commences landholders in these LGAs need to apply for a permit to burn off and notify their neighbours and local fire authorities 24 hours before lighting up. Free permits are available by contacting your local Fire Control Centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Information about hazard reduction burning, obtaining permits and required notification is available on the RFS websitelaunch<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Information on the Australian Fire Danger Rating System<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns, said:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are bracing for a potentially dangerous bushfire season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are expecting a return to hot and dry conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere is also significant vegetation growth after three years of wet weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe RFS have been working to ensure we are prepared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThese new digital signs are another tool to help warn communities about the risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis helps volunteers get on with other important work to protect their communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis also ensures locals get up-to-the-minute info about the fire risk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Minister for Emergency Services, Jihad Dib, said:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEverybody needs to start preparing for bush fire season as we start to see fire activity on the rise across NSW.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHazard reduction efforts have been hampered by weather conditions following three years of significant and record rainfall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe latest Bush Fire Danger Period declarations put landholders on notice that they need to take action and consider how to reduce the risk for themselves and their communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur Rural Fire Service volunteers are at the ready to respond to emergencies 365 days of the year, and it\u2019s every landowner\u2019s responsibility to be equally prepared for the threat of fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs the weather starts to heat up, it\u2019s time to take simple steps like reducing vegetation around properties and cleaning gutters to reduce the amount of fuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re also upgrading our roadside fire danger rating signs, using technology to boost our readiness efforts and freeing up time for our dedicated RFS volunteers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Commissioner of the RFS, Rob Rogers, said:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWet weather over the last three years has caused prolific growth, and as we move out of this incredibly wet period the bush fire risk is returning to NSW.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe new fire danger rating system introduced last season is the biggest change to fire danger rating science in more than 60 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe way fire danger ratings are communicated has been improved and simplified, to make it easier for our communities to make decisions to stay safe on days of fire danger risk.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Iconic fire danger rating signs on roadsides across NSW are getting a digital facelift, with the Rural Fire Service (RFS) set to provide real-time fire risk information to communities via remotely operated signs. More than 200 digital fire warning signs are being rolled out, as the state approaches bushfire season. The signs, which are powered … Continue reading “New electronic fire danger rating signs to help keep communities safer across NSW”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22536","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nswnews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22536","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22536"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22536\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22537,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22536\/revisions\/22537"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22536"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22536"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22536"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}