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Canberra Today 14°/17° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Fires burn Braidwood’s access to water

THREE days of raging fires in the Tallaganda National Park has left nearby towns without water, while other towns continue to face the threats of active fires. 

According to the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council, the fire has burnt through 20,000 hectares and has seen several road closures, school closures and other impacts to services in the region.

Many council staff are also local residents directly affected by the fires, which means some of the council services are currently shorthanded while staff tend to their own properties and families or volunteer to fight the fires.

The Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council says a list of council services and activities have been impacted by the fires, including the temporary suspension of town water supply to Braidwood.

Pumping of water has been suspended while pipes burnt in the fire are replaced and water quality in remaining extraction ponds in the river is being assessed.

The council says drought relief taps for eligible properties not on town water remain open. Properties can access up to 1000 litres per occasion from the following sites: Braidwood – Bicentennial Park; Captains Flat – Wilkins Park; Bungendore – near council depot in Ellendon Street.

Other affected services include:

  • Braidwood Pool is closed until further notice by QPRC Aquatics.
  • Braidwood Waste Transfer Station is closed but is hoped to reopen as normal at 1pm Friday.
  • Braidwood kerbside waste collection will continue as normal on Tuesday, December 3.
  • Road construction and grading activities in areas surrounding Braidwood have been scaled back while equipment and staff have been redeployed to activities such as building of fire breaks and containment lines.
  • Drivers should take care in areas that the fire has passed through. Traffic advisory signage and road name signs are likely to be damaged. Burnt trees may also present a hazard for drivers.
  • The Braidwood Connect business meeting scheduled for December 3 has been cancelled. This meeting planned to host the draw of the “Christmas Shop and Win” campaign. The draw will take place in a low key public drawing on Wallace Street at 2pm on  December 3. Winners will be notified and announced in local media.
  • QPRC’s Braidwood Customer Services and Library remain open but are shorthanded.

The community is reminded to continue to monitor the Fires Near Me app or rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fires-near-me for up to date information on the fire situation.

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Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

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