All State forests across New England are now closed to the public due to the very high to extreme fire danger over the coming days.
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The fire rating for Thursday, November 7 through until Saturday, November 9 across the region is rated as severe.
It will be a tense few days for Forestry Corporation and Rural Fire Service crews and other support agencies who have spent a week of intense fire fighting at Hanging Rock
This afternoon emergency declarations were made by the RFS for the Guyra Road, Wandsworth bushfire and the Stockyard Flat, Spur Trail, Yarrowitch and Oxley Wild River National Park area blaze which has burned more than 4,500 hectares.
The closure applies to all State forests in the following Rural Fire Service zones:
- Greater Sydney Region
- Far North Coast
- North Coast
- Greater Hunter
- New England
- Northern Slopes.
The only exceptions are Cumberland State Forest, Treetops Adventure Park at Ourimbah State Forest and Sealy Lookout at Orara East State Forest.
Forestry Corporation of NSW's Senior Manager Forest Stewardship Kathy Lyons asked the community to stay out of these State forests due to the very high risk to public safety.
Fires are likely to be uncontrollable in these conditions.
- Kathy Lyons Forest Corporation senior manager forest stewardship
"We are expecting very high to severe and extreme fire weather over the next three days and there are already extensive fires across the north coast and tablelands. Fires are likely to be uncontrollable in these conditions," Ms Lyons said.
"All State forests from the north of Sydney to the Queensland border and the northern tablelands will be closed for the next three days due to the high fire danger.
"Please do not enter these forests over the next three days."
For the latest information about fires, visit the Rural Fire Service website www.rfs.nsw.gov.au
