Burnoffs begin, with fire crews preparing North West for future fires

Fire crews from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) plan to burn off an area of around 3,690 hectares north of Baradine.

NPWS crews will burn woodland in the Pilliga State Conservation Area, Merriwindi State Conservation Area and Pilliga West National Park and State Conservation Area. The region stretches from north-west to north-east of Baradine.

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The burns will be ignited from two locations on the ground, followed up by aerial ignition. Three additional areas will be burned off from the air.

The burns will continue until Wednesday, weather permitting. Smoke is likely to continue beyond that time.

A spokesperson for NPWS said the burns are intended to mitigate bushfire risk and maintain a healthy landscape.

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The service recently burned off parts of a number of New England forests, starting in the Guy Fawkes National Park in August.

Swathes of the New England burned to the ground last year, with out-of-control bushfires smashing dozens of homes, and killing four people.

Some locals blamed a lack of hazard reduction burns for the unprecedented horror season.

The New England region entered its declared bushfire danger period at the start of August.