The NSW government has established a multiagency taskforce to enhance bushfire hazard reduction efforts.

Taskforce Fire Guard will operate from the Rural Fire Service’s State Operations Centre, to inform and co-ordinate fire mitigation actions by agencies and land managers.

The agencies include NSW RFS, Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Forestry Corporation of NSW, Crown Lands and Transport for NSW.

The taskforce will use predictive services and weather intelligence to prioritise action in high-risk areas. It will also support existing arrangements by co-ordinating resources and technologies.

NSW Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib says the collaboration works “to ensure we are making the most of every opportunity to reduce bushfire risk and protect communities.

“This is a commonsense approach to hazard reduction that brings all agencies together with a sole focus of co-ordinated and planned hazard reduction activities.

“It will strengthen how we plan and deliver hazard reduction across the state, particularly as weather conditions allow work to increase.”

NSW fire agencies are now conducting activities such as controlled grass burns to reduce fuel loads before the next fire season.

The government says such actions have treated more than 45,000 hectares since last July, helping to protect more than 127,000 properties.

RFS commissioner Trent Curtin says hazard reduction projects such as preventative burns are among “the most effective ways to reduce bushfire risk, and we will take advantage of favourable conditions wherever possible to safely carry out this work across multiple regions”.