A new bushfire detection camera in the upper Clarence Valley will help make bushfire seasons safer. The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service’s (NPWS) area manager, Andrew Lugg, said the camera will enhance the ability to detect and respond to bushfires in the upper Clarence Valley. “The new camera is positioned at a remote location high on a ridge … where it is ideally placed to detect and monitor the origin, path and rate of spread of bushfires,” Mr Lugg said. “Rapid detection and a fast ground response that keeps bushfires small, is a key operational objective for fire authorities. “When fire-fighters are able to respond to bushfires before they develop, they can minimise the potential for the fire to become large, fast moving and a danger to communities. Mr Lugg said the cameras add to the mix of initiatives already in place, such as pre-positioned fire crews, detection flights, satellite remote sensing, community members and park neighbours, which “all play an important role in detecting, reporting and responding to bushfires”. “This initiative is a good example of cost effective technology using solar energy, computing power and the 4G network complimenting traditional fire-fighting tools,” he said. The new camera adds to the network already in place at Halfway Creek, Chaelundi and Mt Hyland. “It represents a cost effective alternative to the fire tower system used for decades by Forestry Corporation and the NPWS,” Mr Lugg said.