At her request, the council will now write to the Minister for the Environment to clarify what, if any, measures will be taken by the National Parks and Wildlife Service to prevent the ignition and spread of fires in the park.
She said the summer was marked by the most extensive and severe bushfires the State had ever seen and “although our own City felt the heat of these fires, fortunately Sydney has largely been spared the destruction”.
“Notwithstanding this, now is not the time to sit back; it is the time to reflect and consider how we can manage fires, as they will inevitably come, in our City and specifically in the Georges River National Park,” she said.
“There have been reports that land management and firefighting capability have both been substantially reduced in response to budget cuts by the NSW Government.
“I understand that this has not only seen reduced resources and numbers of staff, but the loss of key experienced staff who have the knowledge and history to address these concerns.”
Bid to reduce fire threat in national park suburbs
Fire at the crest on Saturday.....photo Daniela Gedz 6/1/20
RESIDENTS living adjacent to the Georges River National Park, are facing a growing fire risk and the NSW Government is doing nothing to address the situation, says Canterbury Bankstown Councillor Linda Downey.
