New South Wales Consolidated Acts

RURAL FIRES ACT 1997 - SECT 64

64 Occupiers to extinguish fires or notify fire fighting authorities

(1) If a fire (not being a fire or part of a fire lit under the authority of this Act or any other Act) is burning on any land at any time during a bush fire danger period applicable to the land the occupier of the land must:

(a) immediately on becoming aware of the fire and whether the occupier has lit or caused the fire to be lit or not, take all possible steps to extinguish the fire, and

(b) if the occupier is unable without assistance to extinguish the fire and any practicable means of communication are available, inform or cause to be informed an appropriate officer of the existence and locality of the fire if it is practicable to do so without leaving the fire unattended.

(2) In this section, "appropriate officer" means:

(a) if the fire is burning within any fire district constituted under the Fire Brigades Act 1989 -the nearest available officer or fire fighter of the fire brigades in the fire district, or

(b) if the fire is burning outside any such fire district-the nearest available officer or member of a rural fire brigade or fire control officer or deputy fire control officer or officer of the Forestry Commission or the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units or imprisonment for 6 months, or both.