NSW: Fire fighters expect more fires this afternoon

AAP General News (Australia)
12-23-2001
NSW: Fire fighters expect more fires this afternoon

By Lisa Davies

SYDNEY, Dec 23 AAP - Firefighters are on high alert across NSW as crews still battle
to contain blazes in the state's far north and central west.

A high fire danger warning has been issued by the NSW rural fire.

Service spokesman John Winter said there is a total fire ban in force in the far western
corner of the state.

"There's very high fire dangers across most of NSW that will probably bring with it
new fires that develop significantly," he said.

Mr Winter said firefighters battling the blaze near Yeoval in the central west were
continuing to put in containment lines.

"Obviously that's a massive job given the size of it - 20,000 hectares.

"They're primarily only concerned with the western side of the fire now, the other
containment lines are holding and we're continuing to organise task forces that are expected
to be there right through Christmas."

The fire broke out on Tuesday in Goobang National Park.

Meanwhile, motorists on the coastal Pacific Highway are being urged to take care as
smoke from a fire north of Evans Head, carries across the road.

Lawrence Orel from the National Parks and Wildlife Service said about 80 fire crews
were back-burning to control the fire.

"We don't know how it started ... but certainly our main focus at this stage is to
contain the fire and then put it out, prevent it from spreading, and then we'll look at
investigating the causes of it."

Mr Winter said fire danger would be at its highest between three and 4pm (AEDT) because
that's when the ground is at its hottest.

"It's also when people tend to get a little bit bored, so they light fires," he said.

Thunderstorms and rain have been forecast over the next few days.

"The thunderstorms, if they're dry, are going to cause us major problems because we'll
have more of these lightning strike fires, the likes of which we're still chasing down
from four weeks ago," Mr Winter said.

"If the rain comes through, then that'll take the edge off the fire danger in some
spots, but it's not expected to be widespread rain."

AAP ld/arb/mjm/de

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES NSW

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