Coal & Candle Rural Fire Brigade

14/05/2026

When did you last check your smoke alarm?

Smoke alarms, unlike wine, do not age well over time.

Did you know that most smoke alarms have a use-by date? Some modern smoke alarms have a life-span of up to ten years and may not have a battery to change, making it easy to forget how long since they’ve been installed.

Remember to regularly clean and test your alarms, and check the use-by date to help keep track of their age.

08/05/2026

Smoke from a hazard reduction burn near Kurrajong in the Hawkesbury is currently drifting to our north towards the Central Coast.

There is the potential for smoke to settle lower overnight before drifting along the Hawkesbury River, which may impact parts of the Northern Beaches.

If you see or smell smoke in these areas, please remember this is likely related to planned hazard reduction activity.

Only call Triple Zero (000) if you see an unattended fire.

Thank you for your understanding.

04/11/2025

VALE CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT CRAIG GEDDES

It is with a heavy heart that we inform you of the sad passing of Chief Superintendent Craig Geddes last night.

From the moment he joined the Beacon Hill Brigade on 1 February 1980, Craig’s dedication to the RFS never wavered, and he maintained a proud connection to the brigade throughout his life.

Craig became a staff member in September 1994 as the Fire Control Officer at Warringah Council, before being appointed District Manager of Warringah Pittwater in 2001 and later District Manager of Northern Beaches in 2016.

Deeply respected by both volunteers and staff, Craig was known as a practical and grounded leader who always placed people and community at the heart of his work.

Throughout his distinguished career, Craig also held several key temporary assignments including Manager Region East, Manager Operational Doctrine and Standards and Regional Services Manager, Business and Operations.

As a Level 3 Incident Controller, he played an instrumental role in leading the Service’s response to many major fire events, including the 1994/95, 1997/98, 2000/01, 2013/14 and 2019/20 Black Summer fires.

In his most recent role as Manager, Operational Response, Craig made a significant contribution to modernising the Service through the implementation of Centralised Dispatch and Computer Aided Dispatch systems across all Districts. These initiatives have transformed how the RFS operates, enhancing coordination, communication and response.

Craig also served as a Deputy State Operations Controller and State Duty Operations Officer, where his calm leadership and deep operational expertise guided the Service through complex statewide incidents.

Despite personal tragedy, Craig demonstrated unwavering commitment to the Service and its members. His exceptional work ethic, compassion and willingness to mentor others earned him the respect and admiration of all who worked with him. The State Operations Centre will not be the same without Craig’s presence, leadership and humour.

Craig’s service to the NSW Rural Fire Service and to the people of NSW spanned more than 45 years. He leaves a legacy of professionalism, integrity and dedication that will long be remembered.

Craig’s passing will be deeply felt across the RFS community. During this time, it is important that we look after one another and I remind everyone that support services are available for anyone who may need them.

Our thoughts are with Craig’s sons, Luke and Matthew, and his family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time.

21/10/2025

A Total Fire Ban will be in place tomorrow, Wednesday 22 October, for the Northern Beaches area.

Hot, dry and windy conditions are forecast across most of the state, increasing the fire danger. 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

26/06/2025

Coal and Candle’s DC Myles Holloway along with other RFS members is Canada bound to assist in another bad fire season for our northern friends.

11/03/2025

A huge congratulations to Dr Ken Hughes for 45 years of service to the RFS! From his roles as President, Secretary and Treasurer at Coal and Candle Brigade to his vital contributions during major fires and storm events, Ken’s contribution has been invaluable. His work with the Warringah Pittwater Rural Fire Welfare Fund and Donations Fund has made a lasting impact. Thank you, Ken, for your incredible dedication and service!

28/02/2025

Two burns are now underway along Mona Vale Rd at Terrey Hills near Par 3 and the Pistol Club. The burns will take a number of days to complete and provide protection for homes in the area. A reminder to only call Triple Zero if you see an unattended fire not just because you smell smoke.

27/02/2025

This weekend, firefighters from the Rural Fire Service and National Parks and Wildlife Service will be carrying out two planned hazard reduction burns in the Terrey Hills area.

• Pistol Club burn – covering approximately 20 hectares
• Neverfail burn – covering approximately 206 hectares

These burns are being conducted to help reduce the risk of future bushfires impacting the Terrey Hills community and prevent fires from spreading across Mona Vale Road into Garigal National Park.

What to Expect:
• Burning will begin on Friday evening (around 6:00 PM) and continue through the weekend.
• The northbound lane of Mona Vale Road will be partially closed, so expect some traffic delays.
• The majority of burning will take place Friday night and throughout Saturday.

For Residents:
• Keep windows and doors closed to prevent smoke from entering your home.
• Bring washing indoors to avoid smoke exposure.

Thank you for your cooperation as we work to keep the community safe.

For more information visit the Hazards Near Me app or the NSWRFS website: www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/hr

26/01/2025

Congratulations Coal and Candle Deputy Captain Bob Conroy who has today been honoured with an Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) for distinguished service as a member of an Australian fire service.

Bob has made a serious and sustained contribution to bush fire control in NSW and Australia for decades, through his influential career in the National Parks and Wildlife Service, volunteer service with the NSW Rural Fire Service and membership of the NSW Bush Fire Coordinating Committee and the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council.

Joining the Coal and Candle Rural Fire Brigade in 1998, he has served as a deputy captain and senior deputy captain. He is recognised as a mentor and trainer, particularly for crew leaders, and recently co-authored the brigade's history.

Bob has contributed to countless incident management teams since 1994 and has deployed to numerous fires and other incidents, including as a division commander to the USA in 2019, a strike team leader to Tasmania in 2019 and on 13 strike teams during the catastrophic 2019-20 fires.

With renowned operational knowledge and skill, Bob provides expert advice on local risk management and mitigation planning based on an encyclopaedic memory of every major bush fire and hazard reduction activity on the Northern Beaches dating back to the 1950s. Bob’s contribution is highly-regarded at all levels.

29/12/2024

On the five-year anniversary, we remember all those who lost their lives and think about the communities who were impacted by these fires.

The final days of 2019 saw fire ravage the southeast of NSW, as extreme fire behaviour led to several fires breaking containments lines and making significant runs towards populated areas, particularly around the South Coast.

Near the township of Belowra, 50km northwest of Cobargo, the Badja Forest Rd, Countegany Fire impacted properties within the Belowra Valley. Firefighter Colin Burns was tragically killed on his own property, when the ute he was driving was overrun by fire as he travelled to the local fire station.

Further west, on the Green Valley, Talmalmo Fire burning near Jingellic, about 70km east of Albury, Firefighter Samual McPaul from the Morven Brigade was killed after the fire truck he was in was suddenly impacted by extreme winds from a pyrocumulonimbus thunderstorm, causing the vehicle to lift off the ground, flip over and land on its roof. The two other firefighters in the truck were also injured, while a second RFS vehicle was blown over, injuring another firefighter.

Over the New Year period, fires burnt through to the coastline, prompting emergency services to issue several Tourist Leave Zones ahead of Catastrophic fire danger forecast on 4 January 2024.

On the five-year anniversary, we remember all those who lost their lives and think about the communities who were impacted by these fires.

📸 Alex Ellinghausen SMH