The default danger time zone in our corner of the world officially starts on September 1, but the incessant drought conditions across the state have caused our Lower North Coast RFS heads to err on the side of caution this year.

“Because we haven’t had any significant rain since March and no rain at all since the beginning of July, we’ve had to bring it forward,” Lower North Coast Superintendent Lachlann Ison said.

“We’ve been very busy to date – there have been a number of escaped burn-offs from properties, and looking ahead, there’s still no forecast of rain in the immediate future.

“Hopefully bringing in the permits early will help us to maintain control over our area during these dry conditions.”

Supt Ison said it is still important for landholders to continue to burn off dry vegetation on their properties – this permit requirement is merely instituting a safeguard by calling on the judgment of an experienced firefighter who knows their local patch.

He said while recent drought conditions had caused local rural landholders to be more cautious and hold off on doing broad swathes of burn-offs, that brought with it a “double-edged sword” phenomenon of more dry and frost-burnt vegetation around local properties.

Grafton and Casino RFS zones have just issued a fire rating declaration which has necessitated extra fire units being brought in from outlying areas.

Four bus-loads of volunteers from around Sydney are currently heading to those areas.

“We haven’t been as affected here, but we’re just watching this space at the minute,” Supt Ison said.

Permits can be accessed for free from designated local RFS volunteers. To find out who they are, call the local fire control centre on 6568-2536.