Sutherland fire trail upgrades completed

The NSW Government has completed more than $2.2 million in fire trail upgrades in the Sutherland Shire to help protect local communities.

Crown Lands in the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) has funded the improvements to the Loftus Creek Fire Trail Complex, which have been undertaken by the Soil Conservation Service under contract.

A network of seven fire trails have been repaired and upgraded to ensure they meet the latest Rural Fire Service standards, including the Loftus Creek Fire Trail, Fremantle Fire Trail, Viburnum Fire Trail, Cranberry Fire Trail, Kingswood Fire Trail, Turrella Fire Trail, and Camp Wanawong Fire Trail.

Work crews have repaired trail damage, installed turning and passing bays for firefighting vehicles to easily manoeuvre, removed excess vegetation where overgrowth had occurred, and implemented improved drainage to help prevent erosion from stormwater runoff.

The fire trail work will ensure firefighters have ready access to bushland areas to fight fires if they break out, to prevent the blazes from spreading and threatening nearby residential communities.

The upgrades will also benefit the Sutherland community which uses the fire trails for recreation including bush walking, bike riding and bird watching.

Crown Lands Manager Bushfire George Schneider said:

“The Sutherland fire trail upgrades are part of a statewide bushfire mitigation program that sees Crown Lands maintain more than 2,100 kilometres of fire trails across NSW to provide safe access for fire-fighting crews and their vehicles to fight bushfires.

“Our bushfire mitigation work also includes keeping asset protection zones (APZ’s) cleared near residential areas that adjoin bushland to protect homes and other properties, hazard reduction burning, helicopter fire trail inspections, and culturally informed burns in conjunction with Aboriginal communities.”

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:

“This significant $2.2 million investment by the NSW Government in improved fire trails at Sutherland will help ensure local firefighters can get in and do their job effectively when needed.

“The trails will also provide crews with efficient access to bushland areas to conduct hazard reduction burns to reduce summer bushfire risk.

“It's vital we invest in good quality fire trails so firefighters and their vehicles can navigate bushland to reach fires quickly and safely to stop fire spreading to residential areas, to protect lives and, property as well as wildlife.”