Yesterday was the first total fire ban day of the season and it coincided with a 100-hectare bushfire threatening properties at Long Point, 12 kilometres west of Hill End, and right on the border of the Chifley and Canobolas fire zones. 

The fire was allegedly started by fireworks set off by a resident on New Year’s Eve.

As of yesterday afternoon. almost 40 firefighters from the Canobolas RFS were at the scene, along with six fixed-wing water bombers.

Heavy earthmoving equipment, such as bulldozers, was being brought in to aid containment.

However, the fire was so serious that a section 44 was declared, meaning the local RFS needed state support. 

Because the fire is so close to the Bathurst zone, Chifley was also ready to lend support and equipment.

Mr Shirt, the team manager for the Chifley-Lithgow area, said the section 44 “means fighting the fire is beyond the resources of the local area and we now have the full support of the state”.

“They [Canobolas] haven’t called for any resources yet but we have been in constant contact with them and we are supplying staff to go on their incident management team.”

Mr Shirt said Bathurst hadn’t had too many bushfires so far this season but all too many they had attended were caused by people.

“Most of the fires we have experienced have been through human activity. We had some fires at Wollemi that were caused by lightning strikes but others have been caused by farm equipment,” he said.

Mr Shirt said it was likely there would be a lot more total fire ban days coming up.

“Today it was mainly because of the wind,” he said.

“We have had some high temperatures over the Christmas period but we also had some rain and the humidity was higher, which meant total fire bans weren’t necessary. But that humidity is dropping now and the grass has cured, so it is becoming more critical.”