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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
Nick Bielby

Hazard reduction burns to continue this week throughout Hunter

Protection: One of the region's hazard reduction burns in recent days. Picture: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service

Fire crews will conduct more hazard reduction burns throughout the remainder of this week after favourable weather allowed them to strike a blow with bushfire season preparations in recent days.

The NSW Rural Fire Service's Lower Hunter commander Superintendent Martin Siemsen said he hoped burns would be conducted at Clarence Town, Lemon Tree Passage and possibly for a second time at Neath.

He said the RFS wanted to "take advantage of what weather has been presented to us".

Meanwhile, Fire and Rescue NSW conducted a hazard reduction burn at Blackbutt Reserve on Tuesday during what the agency called "optimal conditions".

It comes after RFS and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service crews performed several successful burns in the past few days at Seal Rocks, Fingal Bay, Sawyers Gully and Neath.

NPWS Hunter Central Coast director Kylie Yeend said more than 240 hectares of bushland close to towns and other important assets were burned to "protect life and property".

"With more than 50 National Parks and Wildlife Service staff on the ground over the weekend, working closely with the NSW Rural Fire Service, it was a big team effort to ensure each burn was completed safely and successfully," Ms Yeend said.

"By their nature, hazard reduction burns release smoke into the air, and while we work closely with the NSW RFS to schedule hazard reduction burns so that smoke impacts are minimised, we appreciate that exposure to smoke can be difficult for some."

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