2LT Local News

SPRINGWOOD, Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia – As part of the Autumn Hazard Reduction Program in the New South Wales Blue Mountains, and Western Sydney, the Old Bathurst Road and Mitchells Pass Road will be closed for just over 48 hours next weekend.

The burn will involve 350 firefighters, one hundred fire tankers and support vehicles, and numerous aircraft over the duration and will provide direct increased protection benefits to over 150 residential homes, critical electricity, water, and community infrastructure.

Due to the complex and highly technical nature of the burn, it will require extensive local traffic changes to protect fire crews, residents, and other members of the public from the burning phase and subsequent operations.

There are a number of factors that require the burn to be undertaken over a weekend period, which means that periods of suitable weather are further reduced and are critical to enable the burn to be undertaken effectively.

Meantime, the Magdala HR Burn near Springwood in the Blue Mountains, that was scheduled to commence on Saturday 1 May, has been postponed due to unfavourable conditions and will be re-scheduled for a later date.

The NSW RFS says it is working closely with many stakeholders; including local residents, utility providers, other Emergency Services, both the Blue Mountains and Penrith Councils, to minimise where possible, disruptions caused by the burning operations.

Old Bathurst Road, between Binya Street Blaxland, in the Blue Mountains and Gosling Street Emu Heights, will be closed between 12:00pm on Friday 7 May until 6:00pm on Sunday 9 May. Mitchells Pass will also be closed during these times, from Lennox Bridge to the Great Western Highway. Alternate access to Emu Heights and Emu Plains will be available via the Great Western Highway.

Should the weather be unfavourable for hazard reduction burning the RFS says it will defer the operation to the following weekend.

For further information about planned hazard reduction burns visit the RFS website or contact the RFS Blue Mountains District Office at bluemountains@rfs.nsw.gov.au.