Some great photo's from Even Michaels of this weekend's HR. Thank you Evan and thank you to everyone who volunteered their time. 

​St Albans Rural Fire Service and National Parks and Wildlife Service wishes to advise that there will be smoke in the valley this weekend due to a hazard reduction.

The reduction will start at Jacks Track on Thursday 14th April  then along St Albans Road Friday, and finishing at Silver Wing either Saturday or Sunday depending on progress made. 

There will be a lot of smoke in the area as well as National Parks and RFS vehicles on the road, please be advised there will be traffic control so please take care.

Below are some Aerial photo's taken by Evan Micheals on Thursday  

​Good afternoon -
 
Yesterday we experienced 'Very High' fire danger conditions which tested the containment strategy put in place for the Terraborra North fire. We went through the day without any major issues on the the Terraborra North fireground, or any new outbreaks across the Hawkesbury district.
 
This is a testament to the professionalism of all the frontline firefighting crews, as well as those that have supported their operations, whether that be through the Communications and Catering Groups or logistical 'runners'.
 
A southerly change has reached the fireground this afternoon bringing cooler temperatures, higher humidities and some rainfall.
 
After conducting several aerial incendiary runs late yesterday afternoon, it is my intent to monitor the fire as it reacts to the southerly change throughout the afternoon with the view to officially declare the fire 'contained' by the end of the day if no issues are experienced.
 
Over coming days we will be demobilising the temporary infrastructure put in place to support our operations. It is my intent to have a minimum of crews to patrol the fireground tomorrow before ceasing patrols at the conclusion of their shifts.
 
Please pass on my appreciation to your families, friends and employers for allowing you to commit to fighting this fire. Thank you once again for your efforts, I am proud of what we have achieved and it could not be done without your professionalism and dedication to the cause.
 
Superintendent Karen Hodges | Incident Controller | Hawkesbury District NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE
 

​Situation

The Terraborra North fire continues to burn in remote and rugged bushland 8km West of St Albans and is approximately 4,500 hectares in size. There is currently no threat to property.
Yesterday, ground crews and aircraft monitored and patrolled the fireground, monitoring and eliminating hot spots.

Late yesterday afternoon, conditions enabled further aerial ignition runs were completed. This greatly reduces the risk of fire activity increasing and posing a threat to communities in coming days.
Over night, ground crews continued to monitor the progress of the fire as well as worked to eliminate any existing hotspots.

A southerly change is expected today. Residents and visitors north of the fire may experience smoke drift as the fire continues to burn within containment lines.  NSW RFS and National Parks and Wildlife Service firefighters and aircraft will continue to monitor and patrol the fireground over coming days.
This will be the last Community Newsletter to be issued unless the situation changes.

Advice

 Be aware if the fire situation and progress. Monitor conditions in your area.
 Check and follow your Bush Fire Survival Plan. If you do not have a plan, know what you would do if the situation changes. Leaving early is the safest option.
Information
 Updates on this fire are also available at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au or by calling call 1800 NSW RFS (1800 679 737).
 For information on closures of National Parks associated with this fire, please visit www.npws.nsw.gov.au
 If you need to report a new fire or require urgent assistance, dial Triple Zero (000).

​

Situation
​The Terraborra North fire continues to burn in remote and rugged bush land 8km West of St Albans and is approximately 4,500 hectares in size. There is currently no direct threat to properties.

Yesterday, ground crews were able to strengthen containment lines through backburning operations. Aerial incendiary runs were also completed to consolidate containment lines on the eastern edge of the fire ahead of forecast north-westerly winds.

Overnight, crews continued to monitor and patrol the fire, identifying and eliminating hotspots.

Today, fire from backburning is predicted to meet which will increase smoke and fire activity for a short period of time within the eastern perimeter of the fire. This increased activity is likely to affect residents and visitors to Higher Macdonald, Upper Macdonald and St Albans.

Ground crews, waterbombing and reconnaissance aircraft will be monitoring the fireground throughout the day with teams identified to respond rapidly to any emerging situations.

Residents and visitors in immediate and surrounding areas should expect an increase in smoke and aircraft activity as the day progresses.

Weather Outlook
Sunday 20/12/15 - Temperature 36 degrees, humidity of 17% with north-westerly winds between 25-35 km/h.
Monday 21/12/15 - Temperature 32 degrees, humidity about 30% with north-westerly winds tending south-easterly between 20-30km/h from early afternoon.
Tuesday 22/12/2015 – Temperature 19 degrees, humidity of 60% with south to south easterly winds up to 15km/h.

Advice
 Be aware of the fire situation and progress. Monitor conditions in your local area.
 Know where to go should you need information.
 Check and follow your Bush Fire Survival Plan. If you do not have a plan, know what you will do if the situation changes. Leaving early is your safest option. Other Important Information  If your life is at risk, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
 Continue to stay up to date with the bush fire situation by checking http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au, listening to your local radio station or by calling the NSW RFS Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737.
 For information on road closures, check http://livetraffic.rta.nsw.gov.au. Roads may be closed without warning.
The NSW RFS encourages you to not rely solely on these applications and services and use a range of sources for information. Fires Near Me NSW - Mobile App (To access our mobile device site, visit ww.firesnearme.com)

Information on fire activity West of St Albans Issued from Hawkesbury Fire Control on 18 th December at 1000hrs Situation The Terraborra North fire continues to burn in remote and rugged bush land 8km West of St Albans and is approximately 3,700 hectares in size. Currently, there is no direct threat to properties. Yesterday, ground crews conducted reconnaissance across the fireground to assess the impact of storm activity over the fireground. Ground crews were able to commence backburning operations to strengthen containment lines and these operations were monitored overnight. Backburning operations are expected to continue throughout Friday and Saturday. Residents in the Colo Heights area should expect smoke drift across the area with the North-East to Easterly wind influence. Hot and dry conditions are expected at the weekend with a North-West to Westerly wind to return on Sunday. Under these conditions, smoke drift is expected to affect communities of Higher MacDonald, Upper MacDonald and St Albans. Residents and visitors in immediate and surrounding areas should expect an increase in smoke and aircraft activity as backburning operations continue over coming days. Weather Outlook Friday 18/12/2015 – Temperature 32 degrees, humidity of 26% with north-east to easterly winds. Warm and dry conditions. Saturday 19/12/15 - Temperature 36 degrees, humidity of 25% with light and variable winds tending north-easterly to easterly during the afternoon between 15-25 km/h. Sunday 20/12/15 - Temperature 37 degrees, humidity of 15% with north-westerly winds between 15-25 km/h. Monday 21/12/15 - Temperature 33 C, humidity about 30% with south-easterly winds between 15-25km/h. A high chance of showers and thunderstorms. Advice  Be aware of the fire situation and progress. Monitor conditions in your local area.  Know where to go should you need information.  Check and follow your Bush Fire Survival Plan. If you do not have a plan, know what you will do if the situation changes. Leaving early is your safest option. Other Important Information  If your life is at risk, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.  Continue to stay up to date with the bush fire situation by checking http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au, listening to your local radio station or by calling the NSW RFS Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737.  For information on road closures, check http://livetraffic.rta.nsw.gov.au. Roads may be closed without warning. The NSW RFS encourages you to not rely solely on these applications and services and use a range of sources for information. Fires Near Me NSW - Mobile App (To access our mobile device site, visit www.firesnearme.com) ​

Please note that the distance from St Albans has been reduced due to the perimeter of the back burn area / containment line that is now in place previously it was stated that it was 15km from St Albans as the line was not in place.

Situation The Budda Creek and Terraborra North fires on the Womerah Range, 8km west of St Albans, started on the 10 December 2015 as a result of lightning strikes. These fires and are now collectively known as the “Terraborra North fire”. The fire is burning in remote and rugged bushland and is approximately 3600 hectares in size. Currently, there is no direct threat to properties.

A number of thunderstorms have moved across the fireground this morning and are forecast to continue throughout the day. The storms are making conditions too dangerous for firefighters to be on the ground or for aircraft to continue working on the fire. Despite the majority of firefighters being removed from the fireground for the day, the fire will continue to be closely monitored.

Yesterday, firefighting crews from NSW RFS and National Parks and Wildlife Service supported by heavy plant and waterbombing aircraft including the large air tankers were deployed along the most eastern edge of the fire and conducted successful backburning operations.

Firefighting crews on the north western, northern and southern edge of the fire conducted backburning operations to strengthen and consolidate containment lines as part of the overall fire containment strategy. Late in the afternoon firefighting crews were removed from the fireground due to thunderstorm activity. Firefighting crews returned to the fireground later in the evening and remained overnight patrolling monitoring the fireground.

Today, due to current thunderstorm conditions, crews will continue to patrol and monitor the fire ground throughout the rest of today and into the evening and overnight.

With forecast fire weather conditions due to return later in the week from Friday with 30 to 40 degree temperatures and the humidity ranging between 30 to 40 percent with light and variable winds through to the weekend.

Residents and visitors in the immediate and surrounding areas are asked to remain vigilant and continue to prepare your property, monitor the situation and follow your Bush Fire Survival Plan

Weather Outlook Wednesday 16/12/15 - Temperature 26 degrees, humidity of 60% with winds from the east 5 – 10kph. Thunderstorms throughout the day.
Thursday 17/12/15 Temperature 26 degrees, humidity of 55% with winds from the south east 15 kph.The chance of showers, mostly during the morning.
Advice
 Be aware of the fire situation and progress. Monitor conditions in your local area.
 Check and follow your Bush Fire Survival Plan. If you do not have a plan, know what you will do if the situation changes. Leaving early is your safest option. Other Important Information
 If your life is at risk, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
 Continue to stay up to date with the bush fire situation by checking http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au, listening to your local radio station or by calling the NSW RFS Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737.
​ For information on road closures, check http://livetraffic.rta.nsw.gov.au. Roads may be closed without warning. The NSW RFS encourages you to not rely solely on these applications and services and use a range of sources for information. Fires Near Me NSW - Mobile App (To access our mobile device site, visit www.firesnearme.com) 

​Situation
The Budda Creek and Terraborra North fires on the Womerah Range, 8km west of St Albans,
started on the 10 December 2015 as a result of lightning strikes. These fires and are now
collectively known as the “Terraborra North fire”. The fire is burning in remote and rugged
bushland and is approximately 3300 hectares in size. Currently, there is no direct threat to
properties.
The fire is burning in “High Fire Danger” conditions. Residents and visitors in the immediate
and surrounding areas are asked to remain vigilant and continue to prepare your property,
monitor the situation and follow your Bush Fire Survival Plan.
Yesterday, firefighting crews from NSW RFS and National Parks and Wildlife Service were deployed along the northern and southern edges of the fire and conducted successful backburning operations to strengthen and consolidate containment lines. These crews were supported by waterbombing aircraft including the large air tankers.
Throughout the day the large air tankers conducted several fire retardant drops over the fireground to assist with the overall fire containment strategy. Specialist remote area firefighting crews and heavy plant continued to construct containment lines on the most eastern edge of the fire. Overnight, crews continued to monitor and patrol the fire ground and undertook firefighting operations where needed.
Today, residents and visitors to the area will experience continued aircraft movements and potential smoke drift as firefighting crews continue firefighting operations around the fire.
Remote area firefighting crews, supported by heavy plant, will continue with backburning operations on the most eastern edge of the fire and undertake backburning operations on the north western edge of the fire to strengthen containment lines. Firefighting crews will continue backburning operations into the evening with patrols of the fireground continuing throughout the night.
Weather Outlook
Tuesday 15/12/2015 - Temperature 32 degrees, humidity of 30% with light and variable winds, becoming south easterly in the afternoon.
Wednesday 16/12/15 - Temperature 26 degrees, humidity of 60% with winds from the east 5 – 10kph. The chance of a late afternoon thunderstorm.
Thursday 17/12/15 Temperature 26 degrees, humidity of 55% with winds from the south east 15 kph.The chance of showers, mostly during the morning.
Advice
 Be aware of the fire situation and progress. Monitor conditions in your local area.
 Check and follow your Bush Fire Survival Plan. If you do not have a plan, know what you
will do if the situation changes. Leaving early is your safest option.
Other Important Information
 If your life is at risk, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
 Continue to stay up to date with the bush fire situation by checking
http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au, listening to your local radio station or by calling the NSW RFS
Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737.
 For information on road closures, check http://livetraffic.rta.nsw.gov.au. Roads may be
closed without warning.
The NSW RFS encourages you to not rely solely on these applications and services and use a
range of sources for information. Fires Near Me NSW - Mobile App (To access our mobile
device site, visit www.firesnearme.com)

Situation
The Budda Creek Fire and Terraborra North fire on the Womerah Range 15km west of St Albans. The fire started on the 10 December 2015 as a result of lightning strikes. These fires are now collectively known as the “Terraborra North fire”. The fire is burning in remote and rugged bushland and is approximately 1900hectares in size. Currently, there is no direct threat to properties.

The fire is burning in “Very High” fire danger conditions and under these conditions fires can be difficult to control. Embers may be blown ahead of the fire, creating spot fires. Residents and visitors in the immediate and surrounding areas are asked to remain vigilant and continue to prepare your property, monitor the situation and follow your Bush Fire Survival Plan. 

Yesterday, crews from NSW RFS and National Parks and Wildlife Service were deployed along the northern and southern edge of the fire and conducted successful backburning operations to strengthen and consolidate containment lines, supported by waterbombing aircraft including the large air tankers. NSW RFS trail bikes have also been used across the fire ground to identify future containment lines and assist in the opening of remote fire trails.

Specialist remote area firefighting crews and heavy plant continued to construct containment lines on the eastern edge of the fire for future firefighting operations as part of the overall fire suppression strategy to minimize possible threat to isolated communities including Upper MacDonald and Webbs Creek and St Albans. On the northern edge of the fire, crews continued to patrol and mop up along the fire edge and were supported by waterbombing aircraft. Overnight, crews conducted patrols on the fire ground and undertook firefighting operations where needed.

Today, residents and visitors to the area will experience continued aircraft movements and the potential smoke drift as firefighting crews continue firefighting operations on the northern and southern edge of the fire. Remote area firefighting crews, supported by heavy plant, will continue working on fire trails on the eastern edge of the fire to prepare for future backburning operations, as required, after an expected south easterly weather change later this afternoon.

Weather Outlook
Monday 14/12/2015 - Temperature 33 degrees, humidity of 14% with winds from north west 20kph in the am and turning south east in the afternoon.
Tuesday 15/12/2015 - Temperature 30 degrees, humidity of 30% with light and variable winds, becoming south easterly in the afternoon.

Advice
 - Be aware of the fire situation and progress. Monitor conditions in your local area.
- Check and follow your Bush Fire Survival Plan. If you do not have a plan, know what you will do if the situation changes. Leaving early is your safest option.

Other Important Information
- If your life is at risk, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
- Continue to stay up to date with the bush fire situation by checking http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au, listening to your local radio station or by calling the NSW RFS Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737.
- For information on road closures, check http://livetraffic.rta.nsw.gov.au. Roads may be closed without warning.
The NSW RFS encourages you to not rely solely on these applications and services and use a range of sources for information. Fires Near Me NSW - Mobile App (To access our mobile device site, visit www.firesnearme.com)

​

Unfortunately due to the adverse weather conditions we have recently experienced, the Convict 100 bike race scheduled to be held on 2nd May has been cancelled. Based on a recent inspection of the race course NPWS and the organisers of the event have agreed to cancel next Saturdays race. We are hoping that the event will be rescheduled for later this year, possibly September.  As soon as we have more information we will let you know. 

Thanks to everyone for your support of this event. It's our largest fundraiser and we do hope to see it take place later this year. 

Residents of St Albans joined thousands of Australians in towns and cities around the country on Sunday 17 November to lend their voice to a nation-wide movement of people asking the new government to aim  higher when it comes to protecting our country, climate and futurenotwithstanding the rain that was
sorely needed to arrest the Howes Swamp bushfire burning to the north of St Albans.

Many braved the weather and attended the picnic because they
understand that climate change is real and they want stronger action on global warming. They came to a wet park with their children and home cooked food to share amongst likeminded neighbours simply to stand up and be counted as Australians who want the government to take serious action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  Hundreds of other events took place on the day, ranging from rallies with thousands of participants in state capitals, through to local events in communities across the country. 
 
Thanks to Don McKillop, Captain of St Albans Volunteer Fire Brigade, the picnic moved to the shelter of the fire shed where participants they stayed dry and enjoyed being part a national day of action.

Vera Zaccari

Lower Macdonald St Albans Glossodia & Tennyson 0740 or there abouts sat 2nd nov2013

Dear Sherri
 
You  and your colleagues have been doing a magnificent job, fighting the fires and keeping us informed at the same time. There is absolutely no need to apologise for being a volunteer and doing a fantastic job in extremely difficult circumstances.
 
Please accept heartfelt thanks and please extend our thanks to all your colleagues who helped to fight the fires. 
Best regards from two very useless residents

 John and Kaye
 

Everyone,


Please be advised that the Rural Fire Service and NPWS have requested a St Albans Community meeting tonight Thursday at 8 pm at the St Albans Fire Shed to  discuss the fire that has jumped the Putty Road at Howes Swamp.  Please pass the word around and come to the meeting to find out first hand
what is happening.
 
Siobhan