The Northern Rivers Rural Fire Services has declared the Bushfire Danger Period over – one month early.

The high-risk period is usually set down for seven months, running from September 1 to March 31, during which anyone wanting to light a fire requires a permit from their local fire control centre.

Because of the extraordinary dry, hot and windy conditions this season, total fire bans were in place for many months.

“People are no longer required to get a permit,” RFS Inspector Boyd Townsend said, “unless their fire poses a danger to buildings.”

However, anyone wanting to light a fire is still required to contact their neighbours and local fire control centre 24 hours beforehand, he said.

The Bushfire Danger Period is variable, according to Insp Boyd, and because the Northern Rivers “fire season” starts earlier than elsewhere in the State, the official danger period can be started and finished earlier.

It is not unusual for the danger period to be called off early, he said.

This year was a perfect example, with fires starting in our region from August, and later in the south of the state, and being extinguished here earlier also.

January and February’s torrential rains experienced across the region means there is no longer significant danger of fires breaking out, Insp Boyd said – a great relief following the horrific, out-of-control events at Mt Nardi and elsewhere in the later months of 2019 and early January.