Hills residents with breathing difficulties should be contacted directly when a hazard reduction burn is planned that could affect them so they can take appropriate precautions, Member for Castle Hill Michael Richardson said today.

“There was massive smoke pollution in our area and in northern Sydney on the weekends of September 12/13 and 19/20 but the answer to a question I put in Parliament reveals publicity relating to the burn-offs was quite limited,” Mr Richardson said.

“That’s despite the level of pollution on those two weekends in much of northern Sydney being code red for ‘hazardous’ – the highest category of pollution.

“There could have been significant consequences for people suffering from asthma or other breathing difficulties.

 “Prescribed burns are an essential tool in managing the bush and I strongly support them – better the smoke than the wildfire. But people must be told they are happening.

“According to a question on notice in Parliament, burning was carried out on those two weekends in Belrose, Forestville, Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park and Berowra Valley Regional Park.

“The Government says it gives advance notice of burns to ‘immediate neighbours’ and ‘nearby organisations that may have been particularly affected by the smoke’ through letterbox drops and by phone.

“That’s OK if you live right next to the burn-off, but useless if you’re five or 10 kilometres away as we are in the Hills.

“The DECC’s website is a poor alternative to direct contact. If you didn’t know a burn was expected, why would you look at the website?

“While the Government says it had ‘good publicity and broad coverage by all media’ on the burn-offs,

many people still missed the messages. 

“The authorities at Banff National Park in Canada keep a list of people with breathing difficulties and contact them before a burn is carried out. They have even installed air filtration systems at no charge in some nearby homes occupied by people with bad asthma.

“The Government says it encourages people who are sensitive to air pollution to ‘subscribe’ to receive automatic air quality alerts by email or SMS – that service should be much better promoted and it should be completely free to asthmatics.”

Questions on Notice

7880—ADVANCE NOTICE OF HAZARD REDUCTION BURNING

Mr Michael Richardson to the Minister for Transport, and Minister for the Illawarra representing the Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, Minister for Energy, Minister for Corrective Services, Minister for Public Sector Reform, Special Minister of State—

1.       What advance notice was given to Sydney residents regarding hazard reduction burning on the weekend of September 12-13 and 19-20?

2.       How was this advance notice provided:

a.       through newspapers;

b.       via radio;

c.       via TV?

3.       Does the Minister's department maintain a list of people with breathing difficulties and give these people direct advance warning of major hazard reduction programs so they can take precautions, such as closing the windows of their homes?  

Answer—

1.       The National Parks and Wildlife Service conducted hazard reduction burning operations in Marramarra National Park in the Maroota area on 12 September 2009. The NSW Rural Fire Service also conducted hazard reduction burning operations in the Belrose to Forestville area on 12 and 13 September 2009, which included an area within Garigal National Park. 
Over the weekend of 19 and 20 September 2009, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Rural Fire Service conducted hazard reduction burning operations in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park near Cottage Point and in Berowra Valley Regional Park near the Hornsby-Dural area.
Advance notice on each of these burns was given to immediate neighbours and those nearby organisations that may have been particularly affected by the smoke. This was done through letterbox drops, and in some cases by telephone, prior to the proposed burn. Notice is also posted and regularly updated on the NSW Rural Fire Service website, and information provided to the media. Significant efforts were made in generating media interest in these burns over both weekends, and this resulted in good publicity and broad coverage by all media, both prior to and during the burning operations.

2.       See above.

3.       The Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW) provides an automated air quality alert service for Sydney and surrounding regions through its website. People who are sensitive to air pollution and others seeking to be informed about air quality are encouraged to subscribe to receive automatic air quality alerts by SMS or e-mail on smoky or highly smoggy days. 
Health Alerts issued by the Department of Health are also accessible through the Department of Health's website. The RFS hazard reduction advisory web page also contains precautionary advice for people who may suffer breathing difficulties.

Question asked on 23 September 2009 (session 54-1) and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 155.
Answer received on 28 October 2009 and printed in Questions & Answers Paper No. 164.