Thousands of power poles wrapped in protective mesh ahead of 'what could be a dangerous bushfire summer'
Mangrove Mountain was one of a number of Central Coast suburbs impacted by bushfires in December 2019. (AAP: Dan Himbrechts)
In short:
Around 3,000 power poles across the NSW Central Coast and Hunter regions are being wrapped in a fire-protective mesh in a bid to minimise bushfire damage.
The technology has been successfully used in California and Canada to help keep the power on during bushfire emergencies.
What's next?
The Rural Fire Service is working closely with Ausgrid to identify areas most susceptible to bushfire damage.
Andrea Galea will never forget the 2019 Black Summer bushfires that swept the NSW east coast, including her home town of Mangrove Mountain.
"When the flames came through, they were metres above the trees ... it just roared through," she recalled.
"It felt like it was never going to end."
Andrea Galea manages Palm Marie Farms at Mangrove Mountain. (ABC News: Jenae Madden)
Ms Galea was living on her parents' poultry and beef farm with her eight-month-old baby when the fire burnt through power poles and took out the electricity, something locals have come to expect in wild weather.
But new technology being used for the first time in New South Wales means power poles in Ms Galea's community and others may not burn in the case of a bushfire.
Using lessons from Black Summer, Ausgrid is wrapping protective mesh around thousands of poles in bushfire-prone areas across the Central Coast and Hunter regions, aiming to reduce the risk of power loss.
Thousands of power poles across the NSW Central Coast and Hunter regions are being wrapped in mesh to protect them from burning in bushfires. (Supplied: Ausgrid)
"A lot of our more rural customers around New South Wales were out for six, seven weeks after those fires … because the poles had been damaged so badly that the lines had to be rebuilt … this product is trying to prevent that from happening," Ausgrid group executive network and digital Junayd Hollis said.
He said the technology had been successfully used in California and some parts of Canada, although it would be unlikely to prevent damage in the case of extreme bushfires, like Black Summer.
"This mesh effectively responds to contact with fire and expands to protect the pole from any damage from that fire,"Mr Hollis said.
A power pole that burnt down in the 2019 Black Summer bushfires. (ABC News: Jenae Madden)
"We've been working with the RFS to think about where the most susceptible areas are to this sort of damage."
Burnt poles an ongoing problem
"There's a running joke that Warratah Road is like a Greek tragedy," Ms Galea said.
"Trees down, lightning strikes, fires … we're always the first to lose power."
Power lines downhill at Mangrove Mountain. (ABC News: Jenae Madden)
Most farms in Mangrove Mountain have a generator as backup, keeping sheds ventilated and livestock alive.
But the danger of burnt and damaged power poles continues for months, when they fall during storms, heavy rain or high winds.
"Once a pole has been burnt, it doesn't take much for it to come down,"Ms Galea said.
"That's when you get the outages … some during the fire but most afterwards."
The 36-year-old points out the blackened pole stumps and charred fencing along the 40.5-hectare property, reminders of how close the 2019 fires came.
"You can still see right where it ran through," Ms Galea said.
Mangrove Mountain, on the NSW Central Coast was hit by bushfires during Black Summer. (Facebook: Copacabana Rural Fire Brigade)
Concern about the summer ahead
Rural Fire Service Superintendent Paul Best has worked closely with Ausgrid to identify areas most susceptible to bushfire damage.
He said the project had come "ahead of what could be a dangerous bushfire summer".
"The Central Coast and Hunter are well renowned as bushfire-prone land, and having that project being rolled out in this area is certainly great for communities to stay in touch … to keep the lights on," Superintendent Best said.
"It can be one of those scary times and having no electricity just adds to it but if you're able to have electricity, keep up to date with alerts and warnings, it does tend to make you a bit more aware."
While the Mangrove Mountain community hopes never to see a repeat of 2019, residents were happy to see the rollout of the project.
Power lines in a property that burnt during the 2019 Black Summer bushfires. (ABC News: Jenae Madden)
"Whatever they can do to help, of course, do it, it can't hurt," Ms Galea said.
"If [Ausgrid] can keep the power on, that's huge."