[ASA] Fire Update - Wambelong Fire (Coonabarabran)

[Kate Brooks]

Dear ASA members,

The NSW Rural Fire Service are reporting that some 40 properties and over 110 out-buildings have been confirmed lost as well as a large number of livestock and farm machinery.

The ANU continue to post on their website updates on the fire damage to the Siding Spring Observatory 
http://www.anu.edu.au

A further visual assessment of the SSO site has confirmed:
- 3 buildings have been destroyed (The Lodge, a cottage and a storage building)
- 3 buildings have been badly damaged (The Visitors Centre and two sheds)
- 4 telescopes appear to have some smoke damage to their buildings

A new update on fire damage at the Mopra Telescope is available on the ATNF website:
http://www.atnf.csiro.au

Aerial footage of the Mopra Telescope and a brief first site visit from an SSO staff member on Monday indicated that there was significant fire damage to the onsite control building (see image attached). This building contained an accommodation area, a control room and an equipment room containing the VLBI data correlator and the MOPS spectrometre equipment. From the aerial photo it was clear that the accommodation area was burnt to the ground and yet the concrete roof above the control and equipment rooms appeared relatively intact. 

Late yesterday afternoon two CASS staff with an RFS Inspector were able to visit the site and give a brief visual report on the inside of the equipment room. There is smoke damage but the equipment is currently intact with no obvious heat or fire damage. This is very good news. Before the equipment can be tested to see if it is still operational, the structural safety of the building must be assessed and the equipment must be made physically safe. 

Amander Bauer continues to do a great job of posting the latest news on her blog:
http://amandabauer.blogspot.com.au/

Warrumbungle Shire Council has set up a Warrumbungle Shire Mayor’s Bushfire Appeal and will be taking donations from members of the public who wish to assist residents who have suffered, and in many cases lost everything as a result of the fire. Further information is available at:
http://www.warrumbungle.nsw.gov.au/News/Articles/Warrumbungle-Shire-Mayor-s-Bushfire-Appeal

Food can be taken to the Coonabarabran Race Course, Nelson Street, Coonabarabran. Clothing and furniture donations are being administered by Vinnies, 49 Dalgarno Street, Coonabarabran. A Facebook page has also been set up to co-ordinate donations (see the ASA Facebook page). 

Information on the Rural Financial Counselling Service is available at:  
http://www.rfcsnsw-northernregion.org/locations/coonabarabran

Kate Brooks
ASA, President 


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