'Don't drop your guard': RFS fines Goulburn district landowner

Southern Tablelands operational officer, Mitchell Butler's warning comes after a busy time with blazes over the past few weeks.

"Don't use angle grinders, welders or similar equipment as we head into hot conditions but instead, schedule them for lower fire danger days and make sure you have appropriate firefighting resources on hand," he said.

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Over the weekend, a Goulburn district landowner was issued with a $2200 fine for using an angle grinder during a total fire ban, Mr Butler said.

It sparked a large blaze off Collector Road, Currawang on Thursday, February 2 that burnt 153ha and triggered a major ground and aerial response.

Higher fire rating days are expected from Wednesday and over the weekend when 27 to 36 degree temperatures are forecast.

Meantime, RFS Southern Tablelands crews are continuing ground patrols near Wee Jasper. A fire that started at about 3pm Saturday at Narrangullen, 23km southwest of Yass, burnt 2019ha, destroyed a vacant cottage and 300 head of livestock, Mr Butler said.

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Multiple aircraft and crews contained the blaze by 10pm Sunday. It was believed to have started from a lightning strike.

Local Land Services personnel have been assisting landholders.

"The main challenge was the terrain and high fuel loads," Mr Butler said.

It came after 22 crews and two aerial water bombers responded to a fire on Old South Road, Breadalbane at 3pm Friday.

Mr Butler said an authorised stubble burn on a property escaped when wind picked up.

"The landowner had a permit and all the required firefighting resources on hand but it just got away," he said.

It burnt 306 hectares between Breadalbane and Parkesbourne and was controlled by about 7.30pm. No property or stock were destroyed and ground patrols continued for several days.

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On Saturday at 2pm, aerial water bombers went to work on another fire on Gurrundah Road, some 18km west of Goulburn. It burnt four hectares of mainly grassland on private property but multiple crews brought it under control by 5.30pm. Patrols continued on Sunday. The cause is under investigation.

At midnight Saturday, another blaze broke out on Grabine Road, north of Bigga, in largely inaccessible terrain.

Two fixed wing aircraft from Cowra and a Blackhawk water bombing helicopter from Orange assisted RFS crews on Sunday. The outbreak was burning on one side of Wyangala Dam.

On Monday, Mr Butler said 33 RFS crews and a strike team from the ACT, aircraft and a remote area firefighting team directly attacked the blaze. As of Tuesday it had burnt 364ha and was under control. No property or stock was lost.

The cause is being investigated.

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