Tourists encouraged to return to parts of the Snowy Monaro
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Tourists are encouraged to return to the villages and towns in the Snowy Monaro area as fire conditions continue to ease.
A number of fires have been burning in the Snowy Monaro area for the past three weeks, reaching over 150,000 hectares in size and significantly affecting the local residents and communities.
Hot and windy conditions have caused a number of fires to flare up in recent days, however firefighters have been responding quickly to minimise fire spread.
The weather for the next seven days is predicted to be more favourable with the chance of showers later in the week. Although there is still significant amounts of fire across the area, the risk has eased and there are many villages and towns that are now safe for people to visit.
Local Emergency Operations Controller Acting Inspector Richard Nicholson and Incident Controller Superintendent Jim Darrant said they would like to encourage visitors to return to the area and help the communities get back on their feet.
“Firefighters and support agencies will continue work to contain and recover from the fires in the Snowy Monaro over coming weeks and months," Incident Controller Superintendent Jim Darrant said.
"There are many areas that are now safe for people to visit. We encourage visitors to make contact with their accommodation providers to confirm they are open for business. While enjoying your time in the Snowy Monaro we ask that you stay up to date using Fires Near Me and Live Traffic applications."
Acting Inspector Richard Nicholson from the NSW Police reminded visitors to observe road closures and respect the privacy of residents by avoiding fire effected areas.
"There are numerous villages ready and waiting to welcome visitors," Acting Inspector Nicholson said.
Local holiday parks and accommodation providers are asked to review their plans and monitor weather conditions and changes in the fire situation so that they can ensure their guests are well informed and stay safe whilst visiting the area.
Visitors should note that all National Parks in the area will remain closed, including Kosciuszko. Tourists can still access the Thredbo Village Precinct via the Alpine Way.