Preliminary surveys of the impact to wildlife corridors have commenced as the Lindfield Park Road fire in Port Macquarie continues burning this week.
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Animal rescuers were permitted to make preliminary surveys of the 260 hectares impacted by the fire on Tuesday, July 23.
NSW Rural Fire Service is continuing to contain the smoldering blaze after it started near Port Macquarie Driving Range and Mini Golf on July 18.
Port Macquarie Koala Hospital assistant clinical director Scott Castle said five staff from the hospital assessed the area for a few hours on July 23.
"We didn't see any koalas healthy or otherwise. No burnt koalas have been brought forward and there has been no word of any from fire crews," said Mr Castle.
"There are definitely some there (in the area) and patches of the area are what we classify as core habitat areas.
"These areas are a considerable part of the population. Basically it's the engine room of Port Macquarie where all the good genes are.
"It's an area where they are flowing in and out of. Certainly younger individuals have been released in that area because it is core habitat in a larger wildlife corridor."
Mr Castle said staff were hoping koalas in the area had evacuated before the fire reached their trees.
"The swamp is basically on fire and when it hits fuel such as an oily melaleuca tree and it just goes up, there's no fleeing in that situation," he said.
"They would have a hard time getting across the burning ground but there is every case a lot of them could have moved out as the fire came across.
"Fingers crossed a lot of them did move out."
Faster animals such as kangaroos and wallabies may have been able to outrun the bush fire, according to FAWNA president Meredith Ryan.
"Animals such as possums and reptiles are at risk because it is a slow fire through the peat and scrub country," she said.
"The real concern is what it has done to the environment to lose the carbon sink that the peat has.
"Peat is just a huge carbon sink, a sensitive environmental asset and that's a devastating thing to be lost because of its huge environmental value."
No injured animals have been brought in from bush fire affected areas to FAWNA.
To stay up to date with the situation, please download the Fires Near Me App, or visit www.rfs.nsw.gov.au
Remember, now is the time to start thinking about preparing your property for the summer ahead. Go to www.myfireplan.com.au
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