Updated | Police seek dashcam or phone footage after Royal National Park fires

Police have appealed for public assistance to help catch the person or persons believed responsible for bushfires, which raged through Royal National Park on Saturday.

An appeal was made on Tuesday afternoon following a visit to Heathcote by Premier Gladys Berejiklian to thank firefighters and members of other agencies for their efforts in successfully controlling the fires (story below).

Sutherland Shire Police Area Command Crime Manager, Detective Chief Inspector Terry O’Neill said the fires were believed to have been deliberately lit.

Mr O’Neill said police were asking anyone that witnessed something suspicious, or had any dashcam or phone footage of any vehicles that pulled to the side of Sir Bertram Stevens Drive to come forward.

“This location is 1-2km south of the Bundeena Drive turnoff on the eastern side (Bundeena township side) of the road,” he said.

The first reports to emergency services of two bushfires at Flatrock and Sir Bertram Stevens Drive were made about 12.30pm.

Strike Force Padlock was established by officers from Sutherland Shire Police Area Command, State Crime Commands Financial Crimes Squad and Rural Fire Service investigators..

Earlier

Favourable winds averted a potential catastrophe when bushfires raged through Royal National Park on Saturday.

Rural Fire Services (RFS) officers revealed this when Premier Gladys Berejiklian visited the Sutherland Fire Command Centre at Heathcote on Tuesday to thank firefighters and receive an update on the situation.

Hundreds of visitors to the park had to be evacuated when two fires broke out.

Police are treating the main fire as “suspicious” amid reports multiple ignition points were found on Sunday by RFS and police investigators.

Mr Berejiklian said it was “absolutely terrible if that’s what is found to be the case”.

“To think that someone has deliberately started this beggars belief.

“What heartens me is we have excellent emergency services men and women on the ground to deal with this situation.”

Ms Berejiklian said it was “a miracle” no one was killed or injured.

“I am here to say thank you,” she said.

“It was pretty hairy there for a few days.

“The way all the services were able to come together and keep the community informed  but also to make sure anyone who was in close proximity got to safety was really appreciated.”

RFS group officer Kelly Browne, who was the incident operations officer when the fires broke out, said the situation could have been much worse had the winds changed.

“We were lucky that the winds were pushing the fire further into the park than into the townships,” she said.

“It was just very lucky they stayed that way.”

RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said, unusually, a southerly and easterly wind influence was being experienced across the state.

“That’s usually more favourable for fire fighting but because it was so dry it was very problematic,” he said.

Craig Geddes, the incident controller on Tuesday, said they were hoping to reopen at least parts of the national park on Wednesday.

Mr Geddes said 170 RFS and National Parks and Wildlife Service officers were still in the field.

He said the priority was “a safety audit of the trees to make sure that when we do open the roads nothing is going to fall down”.

“We are hoping to get the park open as soon as we can but safety is our main concern,” he said.

“We have some excellent work with all the agencies, including Surf Life Saving NSW.”

Mr Geddes said Surf Life Saving NSW helped co-ordinate the removal and relocation of people from beaches in the national park.

He said RFS was well prepared for the emergency.

​”We had all those systems ready to go at a moment’s notice,” he said.

“It has been a hard slog, but certainly all the crews which came from virtually all over Sydney got stuck into it and it has been  a great result.”

Mr Fitzsimmons said aircraft support had been vital in the operation.

Nine helicopters, including an air crane were used, plus a DC-10 Very Large Air Tanker (VLAT), a huge water bombing aircraft, named Nancy Bird.

Cronulla MP and Attorney-General Mark Speakman expressed “a huge thanks to the Rural Fire Service, NSW Police, Fire and Rescue NSW, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NSW SES, surf life savers at clubs in the park and all others who helped get the fires under control and evacuated the Park”.

“Over the Australia Day weekend, it doesn’t matter whether you’re planning to cook in your own backyard, at the local park or at a campsite - make sure you put fire safety above all else.

“Heed the Rural Fire Service’s rules and advice, and ensure you don’t leave fires unattended.

“Think before you act when it comes to fire this holiday weekend for the safety of people, property and the environment around you.”