Fires skirted best koala habitats: NPWS
Posted
Updated
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) says koala habitats have not been greatly impacted by bushfires which have burnt 80,000 hectares in the Pilliga region in north-west New South Wales.
The area is home to one of the state's most significant koala colonies and the fires were believed to be posing a major threat to the animals.
However, NPWS spokesman John Dengate says koala habitats have largely survived the fires.
"Look, the best thing so far is that the majority of the really good koala areas in the Pilliga are actually not affected by this fire at this stage," he said.
"It is one of the biggest colonies in the state, but what we're finding with the fire is that thankfully the majority of those high class koala areas are actually outside the burnt area."
Meanwhile, a team of Queensland firefighters will leave Brisbane today to help colleagues battling bushfires in western NSW.
Fifty-five officers and support staff will travel to the Narrabri and Coonabarabran areas.
They are relieving Queensland's first 150-member bushfire task force that returned home yesterday.
NSW crews have been working around the clock for several weeks now.
