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Byron Shire
April 13, 2024

Fire update: Evans Head, Woodburn, Swan Bay, New Italy and Iluka monitor conditions

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Thursday, November 28, 2019

Update: 9pm

Evans Head, Woodburn, Swan Bay, New Italy and Iluka residents are on Watch and Monitor conditions.

The Myall Creek and Bora Ridge fire is burning in the Mount Marsh, Tullymorgan, Mororo Road, Ashby Heights, Woombah and New Italy areas. The fire is more than 109,900 hectares in size and is out of control.

According to the RFS today’s north-easterly winds have caused the fire to cross Gallagher’s Lane to the west, towards Ashby-Tullymorgan Road. There is Fire activity in the Mororo Road area.

There is Fire activity around the southern edge of the fire continues in the Ashby, Ashby Heights, Woombah and Mangrove Creek Road areas.

To the north east, the fire is moving through the Bundjalung National Park to the areas south of Turners Road, towards Korindiri Ridge and around the areas of New Italy and the Swan Bay Road, west of the Pacific Highway.

Old Murrayville Road is closed.

If you are in the area of Gallaghers Road, Tullymorgan, you are advised to move indoors as the fire approaches. Protect yourself from the heat of the fire.

If you are in the southern area of the fire including Mangrove Creek Road, Ashby Heights, Ashby, Woombah and Iluka you need to monitor conditions and know what you will do if the fire threatens your property.

If you are in the western area of the fire including Mount Marsh Road, Six Mile Swamp Road, Fullers Road, Whiporie, Camira Creek or Old Tenterfield Road, you need to monitor conditions.

If you are in the affected area of New Italy or areas north of the fire including Evans Head, Woodburn or Swan Bay Road you need to monitor conditions and know what you will do if the fire threatens your property.

If you are in an area that has already been affected by fire, there may be small areas of active fire burning for some time. Be aware of the dangers of trees and branches falling.

If your plan is to leave, leaving early is the safest option.

Original story

Thursday, November 28, 2019 – 8am

Evans Head, Woodburn, Swan Bay and New Italy residents told to leave if not staying to defend. Iluka residents told to stay as it is not safe to leave.

The Myall Creek Road fire remains out of control and is burning in the Mount Marsh, Tullymorgan, Mororo Road, Ashby Heights, Woombah and New Italy areas. The fire is more than 107,400 hectares in size.

Currently the southern end of the fire is in the area of Gallaghers Road in Tullymorgan. The northern end of the fire is in the New Italy area.

Woombah, Iluka Road. Photo Ewan Willis.

If you are in the areas north of the fire including Evans Head, Woodburn, Swan Bay or New Italy and you are unprepared, your property is undefendable or your plan is to leave, leave now towards Lismore.

If you are in the area of Iluka, remain in place as it is not safe to leave.

If you are in the area of Gallaghers Road, Tullymorgan, you are advised to move indoors as the fire approaches. Protect yourself from the heat of the fire.

If you are in the areas south of the fire including Ashby Heights, Ashby, Woombah or Tullymorgan, monitor conditions and know what you will do if the fire threatens your property.

If you are in the areas west of the fire including Mount Marsh Road, Six Mile Swamp Road, Fullers Road, Whiporie, Camira Creek or Old Tenterfield Road, monitor conditions and know what you will do if a fire threatens your property.

If you have left a fire affected area it is not safe to return.

‘The fire is expected to push a little further north today towards Woodburn and Evans Head,’ said RFS spokesperson Ben Shepherd.

Evacuation centres

An evacuation centre is available at Maclean Showground 12 Cameron Street, Maclean. It’s open 8am–6pm until further notice. Evacuation Centres are also at Woodburn Evans Head RSL Club, 11-13 McDonald Pl, Evans Head and the Southern Cross University Military Rd, East Lismore. Click here for a list of evacuation centres. 

People are encouraged to register online at Register Find Reunite before attending evacuation centres.

School closures include:

  • Evans River Community School
  • Iluka Public School
  • Woodburn Public School

Click here for a list of school closures.

Woombah, Iluka Road. Photo Ewan Willis.

Stay updated

Stay up to date on bush fires in your area by checking the NSW RFS website, Fires Near Me app, listening to your local radio station, or by calling the NSW RFS Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737.

Road closures

For information on road closures, check Live Traffic. Roads may be closed without warning.

 


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6 COMMENTS

  1. RFS Fires Near Me app & website are not super up to date, I would not be relying on them if a fire is near by.
    At the public meeting in Mullum someone from NSW Fires said that it’s contracted out to be updated up to twice a day.

    When you see the app updating every 10 mins, that’s caching with the data that is updated twice a day at best.

    Found a brad view of https://sentinel.ga.gov.au/ , winds apps, weather forecasts, ABC radio (remember that the Mt Nadi fire is small by comparison to others burning in the region so not getting huge coverage) a bunch of community facebook groups to be most useful approach.

  2. Well I have been at Evans Head/Woodburn RSL Evacuation Centre with Red Cross all morning and absolutely no-one came in to register as having evacuated! It was business as usual in town as far as I could tell and we closed the Centre at mid-day. Only about 10 registered yesterday.

  3. Rever to above comment from me. Updating from Tein… she ought not have to. Give clear, direct info only.
    Tein McDonald: RFS are controlling the burn at Minyumai/Korinderie so it is slow…but they are wanting it to burn all the ridges to the south and west of the Gap Rd to cut the fire off at the Gap Rd so it doesn’t proceed to Woodburn and Evans. At this stage the fire has taken many many hours to move a few hundred metres. It might take many days for it to burn to the Gap Rd fireline unless conditions change hugely. It is currently not at all worrying and perhaps it would be better if it burnt a little quicker!

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