NSW RFS - Thornton Brigade

22/10/2026

Shortly after 3pm Thursday afternoon the Brigade was paged to a call - ‘MVA (Motor Vehicle Accident), persons trapped’

Upon arriving at the station it was ascertained a truck had overturned on the roundabout at the intersection of the Hunter Expressway & John Renshaw Drive. We responded our Category 1 tanker with a crew of six on board.

The crew arrived on scene alongside NSW Police Force, NSW Ambulance, Fire and Rescue NSW & the Volunteer Rescue Association. The driver of the truck had been extracted from the vehicle and was transported to hospital.

The initial arriving fire crew from Fire and Rescue NSW Station 349 Kurri Kurri had successfully contained diesel leaking from the fuel tanks, preventing it from entering the stormwater system. Due to the significant amount of diesel leaking from the truck, Newcastle Fire & Rescue 260 HAZMAT was responded.

The Thornton crew remained on scene for fire protection whilst the truck and shipping container were righted. Our crew, along with Kurri FRNSW were released from the scene, with FRNSW HAZMAT, Police and a Transport for NSW Traffic Management Commander remaining on scene.

The crew arrived back at station approximately two hours after departure.

11/10/2026

The Fire Danger Rating for the Greater Hunter Region on Monday 12 October is High, with a Total Fire Ban (TOBAN) in place.

The rules surrounding TOBANs can be found here:

https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fdr-and-tobans/total-fire-ban-rules

11/10/2026

Today, Sunday 11 Oct the Brigade responded to two incidents. The first one was a reported structure fire at Raymond Terrace. First arriving crews from Fire and Rescue NSW ascertained that our attendance was not required and the crew was stood down en route.

Approximately 90 minutes later we responded along with NSW RFS - Benwerrin Brigade to a report of a tree alight at Black Hill. Upon arrival crews found a smoking tree stump in an area where a Hazard Reduction activity had been conducted just over 3 weeks ago.

The crew deployed a 25mm hose reel to extinguish the fire. It was then established that the fire was actually a subterranean (underground) fire, burning in the roots of the large stump. The crew opted to deploy a 38mm hose with a penetrating branch (hose nozzle) allowing them to reach the root cause of the fire (pun intended 😆)

After applying approximately 2000 litres of water no signs of smoke or steam remained and the crew returned to station.

Subterranean fires can burn undetected for weeks or months, or even years in extreme circumstances, before becoming evident. We thank the community for remaining vigilant and reporting these incidents.

11/10/2026

A Total Fire Ban will be in place tomorrow, Monday 12 October 2026, for the Greater Sydney area with forecast Extreme fire danger and the Greater Hunter area with forecast High fire danger. Warm and windy conditions are forecast across parts of the state, increasing the fire danger.

Take action now. Know your fire risk and what you will do if fire threatens. Report all unattended fires to Triple Zero (000).

For more information on Total Fire Ban rules, visit the website: www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fdr

11/10/2026

The Bush Fire Danger Period for our local area officially commenced on 01 Oct and runs through until 31 Mar 27.

We have already seen an increase in fire activity over the past few weeks with dry and warm conditions. We also had a Total Fire Ban (TOBAN) in place on 21 Sep. The forecast Fire Danger Rating for Monday 12 Oct is Extreme, so there is a possibility that we will see another TOBAN in force tomorrow.

If you haven’t already, now would be a great time to install the Hazards Near Me NSW app on your phone.

Hazards Near Me NSW is your official and trusted source of emergency information. The app shows information and warnings about bush fires and floods. Over time, more hazards will be added to the app.

You can set watch zones and be alerted to incidents in your zone, as well as notifications on Fire Danger Ratings and Total Fire Bans. You can also find information on what actions you may need to undertake. It only takes a few minutes to download and set up, but is a valuable tool in keeping you and your family safe.

If you’ve got Fires Near Me NSW on your phone, update your app.
Or you can search for Hazards Near Me NSW in your App Store.

10/10/2026

Our social media manager has been away, so the monthly wrap up for September is just being released now.

This is a timely reminder that every one of our members is a volunteer. They respond to incidents, training activities, community events and other commitments in their own time. The vast majority of our members are still in full time employment. They balance their work and family life along with their RFS responsibilities.

Please keep this in mind as we head into the fire season, particularly with respect to our annual Santa runs etc. Our members give up their own time to bring joy to the local community. Our priority also remains as an emergency service, so sometimes Santa will need to delay, cut short or cancel his visits. We are sure you will understand this and treat our members with the respect they deserve.

During September, the brigade attended 35 unique incidents, with some being multi-day efforts (such as fires at Tomago). These consisted of:

- 4 Automatic Fire Alarms
- 16 Bush / grass fires
- 3 Car fires
- 3 Structure / building fires
- 4 Miscellaneous incidents (illegal burns / pile burns)
- 5 Hazard Reduction activities

Some of our members completed their Basic Firefighter course. One of our members travelled to Queanbeyan to complete a training module for their Remote Area Firefighting Team qualification.

In addition to this, we have conducted training at brigade level, particularly focusing on preparation for the upcoming fire season. Guidance for members was provided on turning out to an incident, from the time of receiving a notification, their actions on arriving at the station, procedures and expectations whilst in vehicles responding to an incident and initial actions upon arriving on scene.

There was also a particular focus on personal preparation, ensuring all members are aware of the effects of heat, with advice on strategies they can have in place to be hydrated and fit to respond as well as ensuring they remain safe & healthy on the fireground. A lesson was also provided on suggestions for a ‘go bag’ that members have ready to take with them, to ensure they have adequate sustenance, personal hygiene items and other items to sustain themselves for an initial period should they be deployed for an extended period of time, before welfare systems are put in place by the Service.

Whilst all RFS members are provided with safety training, there is much information that can be shared from others with real world experience with the RFS or other careers such as the Australian Defence Force.

We have also held our monthly General Meeting and monthly maintenance activities.

On the 20th of September the Brigade held their ‘Get Ready Weekend’ event and fundraiser at Bunnings Maitland. Thank you to all those that came to learn how to prepare for bushfire season and show their support on the day.

Possibly the most significant thing for us was the completion of the long awaited station upgrades / renovations. There will be a separate post focusing on this.

If you have any questions on anything in this post please feel free to comment and we will do our best to respond. Please note this is for generic queries only. We will not answer questions related to specifics of an incident, but we are happy to clarify information we have provided.

03/10/2026

Our thoughts today are with those injured, involved in, or affected by the tragic incident at Wallsend.

We also acknowledge the emergency service personnel on the scene. Dealing with an incident like this, particularly involving children is never easy.

If members of the community have been affected by this incident, please speak to others, reach out to your support networks and seek professional assistance if needed.

If you need to talk to someone, there are support services you can contact.

Mental Health Line: 1800 011 511 – A 24/7 phone line staffed by mental health professionals who can direct individuals to local support services.

Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 – This free, confidential service provides online or phone counselling for children and young people.

Lifeline: 13 11 14 – 24-hour crisis support for people experiencing a crisis or suicidal distress.

Headspace: 1800 650 890 – A local mental health support service for young people and their families, with a focus on early intervention.

13YARN: 13 92 76 – Free crisis counselling support for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Q Life: 1800 184 527 – Anonymous and free peer support for the LGBTIQ+ community.

Transcultural Mental Health Line: 1800 648 911 – A telephone service providing mental health information and help accessing community support services for multicultural communities.

Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS): 131 450 – A free interpreting service.

01/10/2026

Today marks the official start of the bush fire season, with the Bush Fire Danger Period beginning in most NSW Local Government Areas.

If you’re planning on conducting a burn, you’ll require a fire permit from your local Fire Control Centre or brigade. Fire permits help ensure fire is used safely and reduces the danger to you, your property and the community.

Residents and land holders must know the rules when it comes to the use of fire. Along with having the required fire permits, you need to notify your local fire authority and neighbours of your intent to burn at least 24 hours in advance.

For more information on the Bush Fire Danger Period and requirements around safe burning, visit our website: www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/BFDP

25/09/2026

Thornton Brigade extends their condolences to the NSW Police Force, Constable Lay’s family, friends and colleagues following her death whilst on duty this morning.

It is with incredible sadness that we honour Constable Mia Lay, who tragically died in the line of duty at Redfern this morning.

We extend our deepest condolences to Constable Lay’s family, loved ones, colleagues and friends.

This is a solemn day for the NSW Police Force and we stand united.

24/09/2026

Update: Back burning operations have been completed and crews will continue to patrol the fire over the coming days to make sure that it stays with in containment lines.

Advice: Masonite Rd, Tomago

Firefighters are on scene of a bush fire burning in the vicinity of Masonite Road, Tomago. The fire is burning in a southeastern direction towards Masonite Rd. If you are in the vicinity of Cabbage Tree Rd and Masonite Rd you should monitor conditions.

Masonite Road has been closed while back burning operations take place.

Check and follow your Bush Fire Survival Plan. If you do not have a plan, decide what you will do if the situation changes. Leaving early is your safest option.

For more information, visit the Hazards Near Me app and website: www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fnm