I hope to see all the members of the local RFS brigade at the fire shed on Tuesday, April 30, from 7pm. This is our AGM when we elect all the field officers and the committee members for the next 12 months. I heard on the grapevine our brigade is no longer affiliated with Wallaby Joe but has been put back with Burrell Creek, so come along and meet our new group captain and have your say on who gets which position for the next year. If you are new to the district and would like to join the brigade we'll give you the registration forms for you to become a volunteer who shares our concern for the safety of area.

I remind all that if you intend to light a fire, to burn off or get rid of rubbish, you need to inform the local council, the local brigade and all your neighbours at least 24 hours beforehand. This applies night and day. Someone several doors up had lit a fire about 4am, the other morning without warning and embers and sparks were blown away from the fire's draught and began to spread. All the homes within reach of the embers are very old weatherboard dwellings which would have begun to burn had the breeze been slightly stronger. I was awake until 5am, when the fire had burned down and the person who lit it, drove off in his/her vehicle. I'm pleased to say at least the perpetrator came back later on and used a tractor to push ashes and dirt up on the edges of the pile of fallen trees being burnt. If in doubt whether to light a fire or not, please contact the local fire headquarters in Muldoon Street, Taree, and let them know just where you want to burn and what precautions you have in place should anything go astray.