A fire information and preparation meeting was held for Wyndham residents at the Wyndham town hall on Thursday night, January 2.
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The meeting was organised by local resident, Chris "Doss" O'Sullivan, and over 150 people attended.
Providing up-to-date information, give advice and answering questions from residents, was a panel comprising Alice Howe (Director of Community, Environment & Planning for Bega Valley Shire Council), Daryl O'Pray (Wyndham RFS Captain), Peter Reynolds (RFS Group Officer, Far South Coast Team) and Brent Occleshaw (RFS Deputy Group Captain, Far South Coast Team).
The meeting was informative and positive, with a range of important questions answered. There were moments of humour as well, particularly from Doss who fielded questions from the audience and clarified answers with direct, funny and colourful language. There was a strong sense of community and camaraderie despite what is expected this weekend.
Mostly, the meeting was serious, if not sombre at times.
The most important and most stressed point was the conditions were expected to be extreme and the danger was described by Peter Reynolds as being "ten times worse than the Tathra bushfires" from a couple of years ago.
The number one piece of advice for Wyndham residents, reinforced repeatedly and unequivocally throughout the meeting, was to leave the Bega Valley Shire.
A summary of key advice follows.
- Leave the Bega Valley Shire if you can. Go to Cooma or Canberra. Leave as soon as possible and stay away until at least Monday.
- If you can't leave the Shire, head to supported evacuation centres in Bega or Merimbula. See below for evacuation centre locations.
- Pambula Surf Lifesaving Club is not a supported evacuation point, irrespective of recent public announcements to the contrary.
- The Bega Valley Shire is the last Local Government Area to get resources given the deployment of resources to already affected areas in the State.
- Weather conditions predicted for Saturday are temperatures in the low 40s, and wind from all directions, starting in afternoon.
- At present, the fires from East Gippsland have crossed into NSW and could head towards Eden on Saturday. These are 43km (straight line) from Wyndham. There are containment lines ahead of the fire.
- Fires cannot be fought, given their size and severity. The RFS's main role is not to fight fires but to defend life and property.
- Be prepared for communications and power outages.
For Wyndham:
- Do not stay in Wyndham.
- Do not expect help if you do stay. The Wyndham RFS has 3 trucks and around 20 volunteers.
- Mount Darragh Road will be open. Work is being done to re-open Myrtle Mountain Road, to remove risk of falls from fire-damaged trees.
- The Myrtle Mountain Road fire is contained but not out. Fire crews are working 12 hour shifts and monitoring this fire.
- Gas bottles are designed to vent, not explode. Make sure they are switched off (closed) and standing upright. If you have time, move them away from your house.
- Wyndham Sports Ground is not a supported evacuation area. If you must go there, ensure you are self-sufficient: have food, water and other essentials to last for at least a few days as these cannot be provided the Wyndham RFS station adjacent to it.
- The Wyndham RFS was incredibly thankful for the food that has been donated to it but has no more room in refrigerators to store it.
- At present, the Wyndham Town Water is 75% full at 500,000 litres but can't keep up with demand, though is still being pumped into at 5000 per hour.
- If you must leave your property, turn off your water supply at the mains and cover with a concrete block if possible, to prevent leakage.
- Do not get onto the roof to fight a fire.
- Wear proper clothing: jeans, boots, cotton long-sleeve top, hat, goggles, gloves and face masks.
Bega Valley Shire Evacuation Centres
Bega Showground, Upper St
Club Sapphire in Merimbula
The Eden Fishermen's Club
The Eden Country Club
People with caravans and the ability to camp self sufficiently can also go to Pambula Sporting Complex, Berrambool Oval at Merimbula, and Tathra Country Club. Limited toilet and shower facilities are available. The Pambula Surf Club is also open for showers.
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