As the weather heats up, many residents on bush blocks or close to public spaces are getting bush fire ready. 

From clearing out gutters, sweeping up leaf litter to trimming and removing trees, shrubs, mulch and grass, there are many ways to prepare your home so you and it are more likely to survive in a bush fire or ember attack.

For offshore communities across the Pittwater, managing vegetation can be challenging. To help residents get prepared, Northern Beaches Council is offering a special  collection of ‘fine fuels’ for residents of Scotland Island, Mackerel Beach, and the Western Foreshore starting Monday, 8 December.

What are fine fuels?

Fine fuel are leaves, twigs and bark that can easily catch fire and that are smaller than a little finger width – material that ignites easily during fires.

How to prepare if you live offshore

• From Thursday the 27th of November collect Council-provided bags from Scotland Island Residents Association or from public wharves at Mackerel Beach, North Elvina Bay, South Elvina Bay, Lovett Bay, Hall or Morning Bay and at Bonnie Doon and Bennetts Wharf at Coasters Retreat.
• Collect fine fuel from your roof and around your property and fill the bags.   
• Leave full bags out before 8am on the day of collection at your collection point. 
   

Collection points

Depending on where you live collection is via the public wharves, the roadside outside your property or from private jetties that are accessible at low tide.

Follow the special instructions:

• Ross Smith Parade, Mackerel Beach residents’ collection point is via the southern corner of the street or near the public wharf.
• Public wharf collections are to be secured at the wharf’s entrance point.\
• Roadside collections are to be placed with a 3-metre gap in the road reserve or fire trails to allow emergency access.

Please note that regular vegetation will not be included in this special collection.

For more information email our waste services team wasteservices@northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au or follow signage being displayed at public wharves in the coming weeks.

To learn more about how to prepare for bush fire season from the RFS.