Rural Fire Service declares Total Fire Ban for Cootamundra and Southern Slopes fire area amid 'very high' danger

On Monday afternoon, the Rural Fire Service declared the January 15 fire ban for the Southern Slopes fire region due to high temperatures and very high fire danger conditions.

The RFS rules state that during a Total Fire Ban “no fire may be lit in the open and all fire permits are suspended”.

Banned fires include “incinerators and barbecues which burn solid fuel, e.g. wood, charcoal or heat beads. 

“No general purpose welding, grinding, soldering or gas cutting can be done in the open,” the rules state.

“The NSW RFS strongly recommends you reconsider activities such as such using a tractor or slashing, to help reduce the chance of a fire starting on your property.”

The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast that Cootamundra will reach a maximum temperature of 42 degrees on Tuesday with northwest to northeasterly winds of 20 to 30 kilometres per hour tending northwest to southwesterly in the middle of the day then becoming light in the evening. 

Riverina HIghlands RFS stated on Facebook that the Total Fire Ban would “help us to eliminate possible ignition sources on a day where controlling a bushfire will be very difficult”.