On 27 March the NSW Coroner delivered a two-volume report from this lengthy inquiry into the worst fires NSW has ever seen. The inquiry extended over 78 sitting days from August 2021 to August 2023 and considered 780 witness statements.
Stage 1 of the inquiry investigated the cause and origin of 41 fires (of the 110 fires referred to the coroner) and the deaths of 25 people, including seven firefighters. Stage 2 examined ‘systemic issues’ deemed worthy of further examination. These were communications and warnings, backburning, vehicle design and safety, bushfire modelling and prediction, bushfire investigations and bushfire risk classifications.
28 recommendations arose from the stage 2 topics, directed to the NSW Rural Fire Service, NSW Police and Essential Energy.
Considerable media coverage ensued, some of which can be found on the IBG Media pages, including an IBG media statement.
IBG comment
Comment additional to the IBG media statement will be added after the report and recommendations have been reviewed….watch this space.
Independent Bushfire Group 