IT is a situation that no city ever wants to be in, but should people be directed to evacuate due to the ongoing bushfire emergency, Bathurst is prepared to provide support.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Bushfires are raging across much of NSW, with close to 1400 homes destroyed since the fire season started and a further 500 damaged.
Sixteen people have died in NSW this fire season.
Victoria is also being hit hard by fires, with more than 780,000 hectares already razed by fires burning in the state's east and north-east.
As of Friday, two people had been confirmed dead and another 28 were unaccounted for.
In an effort to save lives, a military evacuation of around 1000 people began in the small town of Mallacoota, in the East Gippsland region of Victoria.
While the Bathurst region has been largely unaffected by fire this season, Bathurst Regional Council and its leaders acknowledge the utter devastation in towns nearby and beyond.
On Friday, mayor Bobby Bourke and deputy mayor Ian North said the city is prepared to accept evacuees should the directive come from the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS), the lead authority in co-ordinating and enacting emergency management plans and procedures during a bushfire crisis.
"If they want to knock on the door, we'll answer and say yes," Cr North said.
Bathurst has a Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC), consisting of council representatives, police and other emergency services, that will support the RFS should people affected by bushfires be sent to Bathurst.
There are multiple locations within the Bathurst area that could accommodate people, but the major one would be at Mount Panorama.
It has already been prepared for this purpose.
"The pit complex at Mount Panorama is operationally ready as one potential evacuation point," Cr Bourke said.
"The complex has a kitchen, cool room, public toilets and showers. There are also caravan sites with water and electricity and sufficient space to store animal floats and other vehicles."
If used as an evacuation centre, it would be managed by the RFS with the support of the LEMC.
Cr Bourke said "as many [people] as necessary can be accommodated" at Mount Panorama if a request for assistance comes from the RFS.
Given the unpredictable nature of the fires, it is unknown if, when and for how long Bathurst might need to be used to accommodate evacuees.
Cr Bourke assures that, if that level of support is needed for bushfire victims during the Bathurst 12 Hour period (January 31 to February 2), people will not be displaced.
"The pit complex is just one potential evacuation site. If an emergency situation occurred at the time of the Bathurst 12 Hour, an alternative site would be sought," he said.
Due to the extreme temperatures and strong winds forecast for Saturday, NSW has again been declared in a state of emergency.
In Bathurst, the temperature is expected to reach 40 degrees.
To stay up-to-date, people should regularly check the NSW RFS website or Fires Near Me app for the latest information on fires.
Updates will also be shared on official RFS social media channels.Should an emergency situation occur in this local government area, communications, advice and instructions will come from the RFS.
If you see an unattended fire or smoke column, it needs to be reported to Triple-0 immediately.
