IT felt like spring and it smelt like summer with clouds of bushfire smoke billowing over Hawks Nest last week.

But it was all part of a planned hazard reduction burn near the Golf Club and along Tuloa Avenue and Yamba Street.

“The burn itself went really well,” Helmut Panhuber, Captain of the Pindimar/Tea Gardens Rural Fire Service told News Of The Area.

What wasn’t planned was the number of small fires reportedly started by arsonists but quickly controlled.
“They weren’t spot fires,” Helmut said.

“There were a few ignition points.”

Police were also quickly on the scene.

The winds sent most of the smoke out to sea and also aided the fire crews.

“We needed strong winds for the burn because the undergrowth was quite damp and moist and it would have been hard to get it (the fire) going,” Helmut said.

“While the wind was a little bit on the strong side, you’ve got to take the opportunity when it comes.”

Last week’s backburn, organised by the District Office, had been postponed since last year.

With our Rural Fire Service manned by volunteers it’s often difficult to get enough crews together on the same day to carry out hazard reduction.

Householders need to be looking ahead as well to being fire ready ahead of the warmer months.

Helmut Panhuber believes we are in for an early dangerous fire season.
 

By Margie TIERNEY