Dear Ms Pavey
I am a resident of
Spicketts Creek in the Bellingen Shire and also a member of the
Brierfield Bushfire Brigade. Many of us in the Spicketts Creek
and wider Brierfield area concerned that restoration of the the
Bellingen-Bowraville Road is still in limbo. For us this road is
a major infrastructure asset and important access trunk for
firefighters.
We had been hopeful, recently, regarding plans to upgrade and maintain this road as a Category 1 Tanker specification fire trail, as proposed by the Nambucca Shire Council. This would at least give residents an escape route in emergency as well as help in fire protection and mitigation. However, it is with disbelief and dismay that I have learned from another resident that the proposal mentioned above is possibly being sidelined while yet another report is sought.
For well over a week, a fire on Helliwells Road at Missabotti has, until yesterday, been out of control. Last week, with very high winds, another fire broke out on the north side of the ridge where the Missabotte fire was going. Eventually the westerly winds and normal fire behaviour caused the fire to spread to the north and west. Technically, responsibility for the fire was with the Lower Mid North Coast RFS and State Forests however, our Brigade adjoins theses jurisdictions and in reality, we are the ones who may be called to assist, due to terrain and access.
Danger has abated for the moment and we hope for rain, however, the situation highlights the importance of the Bellingen-Bowraville Road.
My own property is about 8 km from the northern edge of the Missabotti fire, while it was burning I could clearly see it from my home and I attach a photo. It certainly was more spectacular at night! I can only image what residents nearer to the fire, with only the Bowraville Road for access were feeling.
I am extremely disappointed at the response of the Government on this matter.
We had been hopeful, recently, regarding plans to upgrade and maintain this road as a Category 1 Tanker specification fire trail, as proposed by the Nambucca Shire Council. This would at least give residents an escape route in emergency as well as help in fire protection and mitigation. However, it is with disbelief and dismay that I have learned from another resident that the proposal mentioned above is possibly being sidelined while yet another report is sought.
For well over a week, a fire on Helliwells Road at Missabotti has, until yesterday, been out of control. Last week, with very high winds, another fire broke out on the north side of the ridge where the Missabotte fire was going. Eventually the westerly winds and normal fire behaviour caused the fire to spread to the north and west. Technically, responsibility for the fire was with the Lower Mid North Coast RFS and State Forests however, our Brigade adjoins theses jurisdictions and in reality, we are the ones who may be called to assist, due to terrain and access.
Danger has abated for the moment and we hope for rain, however, the situation highlights the importance of the Bellingen-Bowraville Road.
My own property is about 8 km from the northern edge of the Missabotti fire, while it was burning I could clearly see it from my home and I attach a photo. It certainly was more spectacular at night! I can only image what residents nearer to the fire, with only the Bowraville Road for access were feeling.
I am extremely disappointed at the response of the Government on this matter.
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