NEW DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDING ARRANGEMENTS (DRFA) EVENT – New South Wales – Cessnock NSW Bushfires (14 December onwards)
On 19 November 2023, the NSW Reconstruction Authority (NSWRA) submitted a formal DRFA notification for bushfires in NSW that occurred from 14 December 2023 onwards.
Event description:
- On the 14 December 2023 three bushfires were identified in the area of Abermain. The bushfires combined and continued to threatened multiple towns in the Cessnock Local Government Area.
o As at 1030hrs 15/12/2023 the fire status is ‘being controlled’.
o A Total Fire Ban (TOBAN) was declared on 14 October 2023 in line with an Extreme Fire Danger Rating for the Greater Hunter Region.
- The NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) issued a S44 Declaration on 14 December 2023 assigning control of the firefighting activities to the state level.
o This included the use of aerial firefighting.
- An Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has been established and co-located at the NSW RFA East Maitland Fire Control Centre with the RFS Incident Management Team (IMT)
- The fire caused significant disruption to the region, and threatened lives and properties.
o Many roads were impacted and closed, including Cessnock Road and warnings posted along the Hunter Expressway.
o Heavy smoke throughout the region reduced visibility on roads affecting residents’ safe access throughout the community.
o The Kurri Kurri Hospital was threatened.
- The fire necessitated the deployment of NSW RFS and other emergency service volunteers and personnel, and the enactment of defensive bushfire preparations and bushfire survival plans by threatened households.
o NSW RFS reports indicate approximately 12 residential properties and 1 commercial building have received structural impacts and damage from the bushfires.
o Early reports indicate over 600 hectares of bush and private land has been burnt.
- NSW RFS Situation Reports indicate that large numbers of firefighting personnel, equipment and aircraft have been deployed to contain the bushfires.
- The NSWRFS led a coordinated multiagency operation in conjunction with state agencies, including NSW Police Force, Forestry Corporation, National Parks & Wildlife Service, Fire and Rescue NSW, and NSW SES.
Notified local government areas (LGAs)
DRFA assistance is being made available in the one (1) Local Government Area of:
- Cessnock City Council
DRFA assistance measures
The attached DRFA Factsheet contains information on the DRFA assistance measures being made publicly available by the New South Wales Government.
