Police are still investigating whether a fire that burned 450 hectares before being brought under control at around 2am this morning was deliberately lit.
The Rural Fire Service first attended the bushfire north of Lennox Head, near the northernmost tip of Lake Ainsworth, at around 11am yesterday (Sunday).
The fire ground was between Byron Bay Road and Camp Drewe Road just 1.5 kilometres north of Lennox Head.
RFS Inspector Matt Inwood told Echonetdaily the blaze spread both north and south from the initial ignition point.
‘The fire burned through coastal heathland and tea tree swamp,’ he said, ‘both of which are very flammable in these conditions’.
He said the blaze cut a swathe through private property and crown land in the area.
Firefighters’ back-burning operations in thick bushland produced smoke that impacted local roads and residents around Lennox Head, Broken Head and Byron Bay.
Advice
Monitor conditions in your area.
Check and follow your Bush Fire Survival Plan. If you do not have a plan, decide what you will do if the situation changes. Leaving early is your safest option.
- If your life is at risk, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
- Continue to stay up to date with the bush fire situation by checking http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au, listening to your local radio station or by calling the NSW RFS Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737.
- For information on road closures, check http://livetraffic.rta.nsw.gov.au. Roads may be closed without warning.
