Finding MTB trails and fire trails affected by bushfires (NSW)

[coarselanguagw]

Hi All,

Riding through MTB tracks and fire trails in areas that have been affected by bushfires can be a unique experience. However sometimes finding out which areas have been affected can be difficult. This is why I often check out the RFS Current Fires and Incidents page on their website. This shows a list of current fires as well as the area of the fire. Currently there are very large areas affected east of Lithgow, south of Picton, just west of Penrith. These areas could offer some interesting riding, if only on fire trails that give a unique view of the scenery and landscape.

Just wanted to see if anyone knows of any MTB specific trails (single trail, etc.) that as been affected by the fires?

Also, you should not ride in bushfire affected areas until at least a few weeks after any fires. Often times the fires will continue to burn in the trunks of trees and these trees end up falling down weeks after the actual fire presenting a real threat. Just it's interesting to look at the RFS map, even if just to get a sense of the size of the fire near Lithgow.

 

[SF Trailboy]

Interesting thread not sure you are as sane as you should be....

However Kirrwak near Taree recently burnt I believe....

 

[cicot]

do you actually ride or clean up?
Could you post some pics? I can't figure it out

 

[dcrofty]

Perhaps I need to read things more closely....

 

[Hugor]

Maybe you should just stick to the fireroads!

Seriously what your suggesting sounds a bit mental to me. :crazy:

 

[dcrofty]

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/FireClosure.aspx

 

[Ridenparadise]

I hope the OP means after fire clears an area you can see the trail line more easily, increasing flow and you can see what scenery is left more easily. I think.........

 

[bikesarefun]

I hope the OP means after fire clears an area you can see the trail line more easily, increasing flow and you can see what scenery is left more easily. I think.........

I'd say so. I love riding about a month after fires, when the green is starting to reappear. Looks trippy.

 

[coarselanguagw]

I'd say so. I love riding about a month after fires, when the green is starting to reappear. Looks trippy.

Yes, this is what I mean. I often find that riding along ridge lines provides excellent views that are usually blocked out by scrub on both fires. Plus you often notice landscape features that are usually blocked by the bush.

 

[Sappa]

Ferns

I hate ferns after they are burnt to the ground. They always leave enough to puncture your tires.

 

[0psi]

To be fair I get what the OP is going on about. One of my favourite trails was a completely different place after they did a back burn.

While I live right in the current bushfire zone (just got an emergency warning sms from the RFS.) I'm kind of looking forward to going for a ride down at Blue Gum Swamp once this all settles down. That's one of my local loops that I used to ride once a week and still ride once a month or so. I'm very familiar with it and I know it's going to be kind of trippy going for a ride down there as a lot of the area has been hit by the fires.

If you are going to go for a ride in an area that has been affected by fires obviously wait a couple of months. Aside from fires still burning within trees there's always a risk of fire damaged trees falling over. If you are going to go riding perhaps make a donation to a local charity as well and help clean up the trail while you are there.

Edit: Two things I'd like to add in regards to the mountains at the moment. I personally wouldn't recommend riding anywhere in the mountains at the moment. Fire hasn't affected anywhere south of the highway in the mid to lower mountains but I personally don't think it's safe being anywhere out in the bush at the moment. Just because there isn't fire there now doesn't mean that a fire won't spark up there. Having said that all of the Blue Mountains NP are currently closed. Still don't even think about it.

Secondly and this is the important one. If you don't have to be here then don't be here. The number of people coming up to have a look at the fires is just stupid. Please keep out of the area as the fewer cars on the road the quicker emergency services can get to where they need to be and the quicker people can evacuate if they need to. Emergency services up here have enough to deal with, they don't need to add retards on the roads having a sticky beak to the list.

 

[SideFX]

Yes, this is what I mean. I often find that riding along ridge lines provides excellent views that are usually blocked out by scrub on both fires. Plus you often notice landscape features that are usually blocked by the bush.

I know the firs are bad but they do open up opportunity for new trails .

 

[Moggio]

I know the firs are bad but they do open up opportunity for new trails .

Very true, quite a few Blue Mountains trails have their origins in post bushfire locations as there is no undergrowth to be cleared as it has all burnt away.

 

[mr626]

I also get where the OP is coming from. A lot of my riding ends up being on fire trails, many of which go through areas that have been burnt over the last few days. Will be interesting to ride them again once this all settles down and see how different it is.

 

[thecat]

Just remember the lack of vegetation means there is very little holding the soil together and with all the ground cover burnt the is nothing to stop sediment run off so it can be far worse for trails than riding in the wet.

That said when the last lot of fires burnt through up here it did open a lot of stuff up and in the following months it was surreal riding.

 

[mossyman34]

Hi All,

Riding through MTB tracks and fire trails in areas that have been affected by bushfires can be a unique experience. However sometimes finding out which areas have been affected can be difficult. This is why I often check out the RFS Current Fires and Incidents page on their website. This shows a list of current fires as well as the area of the fire. Currently there are very large areas affected east of Lithgow, south of Picton, just west of Penrith. These areas could offer some interesting riding, if only on fire trails that give a unique view of the scenery and landscape.

Just wanted to see if anyone knows of any MTB specific trails (single trail, etc.) that as been affected by the fires?

Also, you should not ride in bushfire affected areas until at least a few weeks after any fires. Often times the fires will continue to burn in the trunks of trees and these trees end up falling down weeks after the actual fire presenting a real threat. Just it's interesting to look at the RFS map, even if just to get a sense of the size of the fire near Lithgow.

Theres a cool firetrail called called tall timbers you could try which is completely burnt out

 

[BM Epic]

i live at winmalee and went out to check what damage was done to our trails, fortunately one of them was backburnt about 9 months ago, so it survived, but one of the trails that i regenerated is bloody awful, in fact it is the width of a bulldozer and is burnt to sticks, we can possibly regenerate it, but man its dangerous out there at this point, i would stay out until its had rain and at least one good windy day.