State Member for Cessnock, Clayton Barr has called on people impacted by the bushfires to make a submission to an independent inquiry.

The NSW Government announced the independent expert Inquiry into the recent bushfire season at the end of January this year.

Led by former Deputy Commissioner of NSW Police, Dave Owen and Independent Planning Commission Chair and former NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer Professor Mary O’Kane the six-month inquiry is reviewing the causes of, preparation for and response to the 2019-20 bushfires.

“The more information that is collected through this process the more we will learn from the inquiry,” Mr Barr said.

“I urge those wanting to make a submission to do so urgently before the deadline.”

The NSW Rural Fire Service reported between July 2019 and February 2020, that there were more than 11,000 bush or grass fires in NSW which burnt 5.4 million hectares of land and destroyed 2,439 homes.

Mr Barr has urged bushfire-affected residents, emergency and support personnel, organisations and the general public to make a submission.

“Sharing your experiences and your story will help inform the inquiry’s work, and provide a picture of the events surrounding the bushfires which impacted our community,” he said.

“It is vital that we hear the insights and stories of communities, families and individuals who were impacted.

“The inquiry is vital in identifying/ensuring that the same mistakes that were made both in the lead up to and during the 2019-20 bushfire crisis, don’t happen again.”

Submissions can be made online until Friday 22 May.