A wait of more than 18 months will come to an end for Coonabarabran residents as a coronial inquiry into the Wambelong Fire gets underway today.
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Over the next 10 days the NSW Coroner will look into the fire which burned out more than 50,000 hectares and destroyed 53 houses.
The coronial inquiry will be followed by a parliamentary inquiry next month.
"Significant losses occurred in the area with more than 50 homes destroyed along with sheds, equipment, fencing and stock. We can be thankful there was no loss of life," Barwon MP Kevin Humphries said.
"The police have gathered a brief of evidence on behalf of the Coroner into the circumstances surrounding the fire.
"It is only through the coronial inquiry that issues raised by the community regarding circumstances surrounding the fire can truly be dealt with and responded to."
A parliamentary inquiry was established in December last year to investigate the cause of the fire and look at the role of the National Parks and Wildlife Service prior to and during the fire.
It was established because residents were concerned about the length of time it was going to take to long for the coronial inquiry to be held.
However, in February the committee agreed to a request from former Premier Barry O'Farrell to postpone the inquiry until after the coronial inquiry so as to avoid prejudicing it.
The parliamentary inquiry will hold a public hearing in Coonabarabran on September 3 and 4 with another hearing in Sydney a week later.
The Member for Barwon is looking forward to seeing the results of the coronial inquiry.
"Over the ten day hearing I am expecting a number of local community members, those who attended the fire and responded to the fire, to be called as witnesses," Mr Humphries said. "I will await the outcomes of the coronial inquiry with anticipation and seek to ensure that recommendations made are pursued."