A Total Fire Ban is in force for Greater Sydney and other regions across the state on Saturday, 9 December 2023.
Four other regions with the Ban include Lower Central West Plains, Northern Riverina, Central Ranges, and the Southern Slopes.
According to the NSW Rural Fire Brigade, the Fire Danger Rating for Saturday is Extreme, indicating dangerous fire conditions that may be conducive for bushfires. Total Fire Bans are raised when conditions are hot, dry, and windy.
“During a Total Fire Ban, you cannot light, maintain or use a fire in the open, or to carry out any activity in the open that causes, or is likely to cause, a fire. A total fire ban helps limit the potential of fires starting,” the NSW RFS stated in its guidelines.
“General purpose hot works (such as welding, grinding or gas cutting or any activity that produces a spark or flame) are not to be done in the open.”
To see the full details on the RFS guidelines during a Fire Ban, visit the website here.
The TOBAN came a few days after the release of a Heatwave Warning from the Bureau of Meteorology on Thursday, 7 December, indicating possible temperatures exceeding 40 °C until Saturday, exacerbated by northwesterly winds.
In addition, the Australasian Fire Authorities Council recently released the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for summer 2023. The report mentioned a higher risk of fires due to expected warmer temperatures and the ongoing drought.
