Crown Lands is conducting aerial fire trail inspections across the Hunter and Central Coast as part of a statewide program leading into what is expected to be a scorching summer.
The latest NSW Budget allocated an extra $10.6 million to maintain and upgrade fire trails on Crown land, ahead of a predicted El Nino weather system forecast to bring dry, hot conditions in the coming months.
Crown Lands has joined forces with the Rural Fire Service to launch aerial inspections by helicopter, supported by on-the-ground trail maintenance personnel from the Soil Conservation Service, to ensure firefighters have ready access to battle blazes and conduct hazard reduction work.
More than 720 fire trails are being inspected across more than 3600km of Crown land as well as areas of national park, state forest and other adjoining land.
The operation will identify areas needing maintenance to ensure the state's fire trails are in good condition leading into summer.
On-the-ground crews will remove excess vegetation, conduct erosion repairs, drainage and soil stability work, and construct vehicle passing and turning bays for fire trucks.
Crown Lands maintains about 2500km of fire trails and 720 hectares of Asset Protection Zones across the state.
The fire trail network gives access for firefighting equipment and personnel as well as evacuation routes for residents during emergencies by providing a safe and clear path to leave an area.
Other uses include supporting access for infrastructure maintenance, management of invasive species, study of plant and animal populations, and recreational activities such as bushwalking.
"Fire trails are essential for firefighters to get quick and safe access to fight bushfires and keep our communities, wildlife and properties safe," Lands and Property Minister Steve Kamper said.
"Helicopter inspections are an efficient way to check remote locations, cutting inspection times from months to weeks while providing an overview of the Crown land fire trail network."
Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib said the state was facing a "potentially dangerous bushfire season, with hot, dry conditions and vegetation growth creating a higher fuel load".
"Fire combat agencies such as the Rural Fire Service rely on properly maintained fire trails to access fires as quickly as possible, and to safely retreat when they become too dangerous," he said.
"We need to ensure our fire trails are properly maintained so our committed firefighting personnel have the best chance possible of containing fires this bushfire season."
