THE fire which raged through Mambo Wanda Wetlands in December 2018 has seen growing community concerns.

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While the Wetlands are starting to come back there are issues that the fire has brought up.

Soldiers Point Rural Fire Service (RFS) Volunteers were joined by the NSW Fire Service at a public meeting this weekend to share information on the fire with local residents.

While there has been plenty of speculation around arson Daniel O’Meara Captain of the Soldiers Point Rural Fire Service told those gathered that the fire was reported as suspicious and that he believes that Police have spoken to people in relation to the fire but ultimately that was a matter for the Police.

The fire started on dry land and while the RFS endeavoured to keep the fire on dry land in the early stages they were ultimately unable to do so and once the fire went into the wetland there was very little they could do.

Fighting the fire was a joint effort which saw co-operation between Marine Rescue, the RFS and the NSW Fire Service.

17 RFS units were deployed across the fire with units from nearby RFS branches joining the fight.

Daniel O’Meara told News Of The Area, “There were around 80 Firefighters on the ground while the fire burned with an estimated $80,000 worth of man hours invested in this one fire event.”

In many ways we were lucky that half of the wetlands were preserved after this fire event.

Residents in properties which fronted the fires expressed their confidence in the Rural Fire Service and NSW Fire Service to keep them safe and some said they could see that everything was going to be fine and went back to bed while the wetlands burned.

“Our main consideration throughout fighting a fire is preserving life and property,” he said.

Emergency services were hampered by people driving to the fire to “rubber neck”.

Road closures, “rubber neckers” and plantings in Asset Protection Zones were some of the issues of concern raised by the community.

Kate Washington Member for Port Stephens said, “Most of us run away from danger and the RFS and NSW Fire Service members ran towards it to save homes.”

By Marian SAMPSON