Walgett Shire Council will push state government agencies to do more to manage the land and prevent catastrophic bushfires. 

Last month, fires burned through more than 21,000 hectares in the region, and claimed the life of a fire fighter. 

At the Walgett Shire Council meeting, Councillor Greg Rummery said, "Yet again, we have had a fire start on public land that has a history of being poorly managed, and then that fire impacts private landholders." 

"National Parks have a significant amount of land in this shire, it's an asset on one hand and a liability on the other," he added. "They can't manage natural events like fires." 

Mr Rummery said there needs to be large fire breaks constructed with machinery in order to mitigate the spread of big bushfires. 

Walgettt Shire Council General Manager Megan Dixon explained that the council had an emergency management plan which includes a sub-committee to manage fires and that with government agencies involved with this "sub-committtee there was an opportunity to lobby (those government agencies) through the planning phase." 

But she added "those agencies are faced with resource issues just like council". 

She said "we do need to do some lobbying around their plans for national parks and crown land."

Councillor Colin Hendy added that the impact of fires could not be estimated and said that if the fire had cut electricity to the town it would have stopped the town's bore from operating. 

Image: 2gb. 

After the meeting Ms Dixon told the Western Plains App "Public land management is about managing the resources effectively and efficiently but also about recognising, managing and resourcing the risk. Bushfire is one of the many risks of public land".

"What we recognise that we need to do is work with the agencies through the emergency management planning processes to put in place effective plans that minimise risk as well as provide for effective containment strategies."

The council is also waiting for community consultation as they consider whether to install a plaque at the war memorial for or rename a section of a road for Captain Leo Fransen, the voluntary fire-fighter who was tragically killed in the fires. 

Disaster Relief for Walgett 

Meanwhile, disaster assistance remains available for those in the Walgett Shire Local Government Area (LGA) impacted by the severe bushfires from 14 November.

The assistance measures are being provided by the Albanese and Minns Governments through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). 

PHOTO: Councillor Rummery. Image: Supplied.   

Support includes: 

• Assistance for eligible residents to help meet immediate needs like emergency accommodation or small cash payments to purchase essential items generally provided from evacuation or recovery centres. 
• Grants for eligible residents to replace lost essential household items to maintain basic standard of living. 
• Grants for eligible residents to undertake essential structural repairs to restore their homes to a safe and habitable condition. 
• Support for affected local councils to help with the costs of cleaning up and restoring damaged essential public assets. 
• Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers, sporting and recreation clubs, and non-profit organisations to repair or replace damaged or destroyed property. 
• Freight subsidies for primary producers to help transport livestock and fodder. 

Image: Sydney Morning Herald. 

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt said the bushfire caused significant damage across the region. 

"This fast-moving bushfire burned more than 20,000 hectares within the Narran Lake Nature Reserve, threatening lives, properties and businesses," Minister Watt said. 

"I want to thank those who have worked hard to get this fire under control and I want to assure those whose lives have been disrupted that we will support them through their recovery. 

For information relating to financial assistance, replacing lost documents, location of your nearest recovery centre and more, please contact Service NSW on 13 77 88 or visit the ServiceNSW website. 

To apply for a concessional loan or primary producer grant, contact the NSW Rural Assistance Authority on 1800 678 593 or visit the NSW Rural Assistance Authority website