The big bush fire to the south-east of Glen Innes has given the brand new RFS control room for the Northern Tablelands its first big test.
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The fire near Pinkett, south-east of Glen Innes, has raged over two days as fire fighters from across the region battled to contain it.
The operation was being controlled from a new centre in Glen Innes which opened less than a month ago.
Fairfax Media got a first look inside when all was said to be working smoothly.
Brigades from across the region attended on Wednesday and work to create fire-breaks had been done, with heavy earth-moving equipment.
An RFS statement just before eight o’clock on Thursday morning said: “The fire has burnt approximately 1400 hectares. The fire is burning in an Easterly direction towards Pinkett Rd, Ryans Road and Pinket Showground.
“Firefighters have taken advantage of overnight conditions to conduct back burning operations and establish containment lines.
The RFS advice was to keep an eye on conditions and to “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.”
The RFS and the Glen Innes brigade tackled the blaze yesterday. One threatened property was protected.
Intense dryness plus a fierce wind on high land whipped the fire across a wide area. Winds were expected to be stronger on Thursday than the day before.
Separately, the Glen Innes brigade warned that permits for burning now needed to be obtained all year round.
Captain Earl Sharman said that his team had attended a log fire that got outof control yesterday. There was a permit to burn but the fire was left unattended.
He said that in future the policy would be “extinguish and then remove the permit”.