Firefighting operations in the Tyagarah nature reserve near the Byron Arts and Industry Estate have significantly down-sized, owing mostly to more dangerous fires elsewhere in the region.
‘A lot of the people who were working in Tyagarah are now fighting the fires in Tabulam,’ Rural Fire Service Far North Coast Manager David Cook told The Echo Wednesday morning.
Superintendent Cook said three local units were sent to Tabulam on Tuesday and another three units Wednesday.
Fire started near North Byron Hotel, police say
Rural Fire Service volunteers and NSW Parks and Wildlife workers continue to patrol the Tyagarah fireground, which has burned through more than 740 hectares.
Four crews are intermittently patrolling, Superintendent Cook said.
Superintendent Cook said Tuesday’s high fire danger conditions owing to heat and strong winds led to a couple of fires breaking out but crews were able to quickly douse them with water.
The fire includes underground smouldering fires in the coastal heath that last week’s rain wasn’t enough to put out completely.
Fire authorities say they’re still prone to breaking out depending on conditions.
They’re still working with local police on how the fire started.
Byron Bay Chief Inspector Matt Kehoe says it’s believed the fire started somewhere near the North Byron Hotel on Saturday 14 October.
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