General News
23 November, 2023
Brigades battle blaze near Tarnagulla
Fire brigades from across the district were quick to respond to a 250 hectare fire in Murphys Creek, around 35 kilometres north of Maryborough on Tuesday, which was stopped just 200 metres short of impacting homes. More than 20 fire brigades and...
Fire brigades from across the district were quick to respond to a 250 hectare fire in Murphys Creek, around 35 kilometres north of Maryborough on Tuesday, which was stopped just 200 metres short of impacting homes.
More than 20 fire brigades and crews from Forest Fire Management attended the blaze which started just before 3.30 pm and burnt through grazing land just off the Wimmera Highway and Dunolly-Rheola Road, near Tarnagulla.
An emergency alert was issued for the surrounding area, with advice to shelter indoors immediately until crews were able to control the blaze shortly after 5 pm.
It’s understood the fire was started by static electricity conducted by a harvester in a neighbouring canola crop.
Murphys Creek Fire Brigade Captain Daryl Hancock described the blaze as one of the hardest he’s fought, especially since it was his property and home the fire nearly burnt through.
“As soon as we drove across the canola crop I could see the fire was in my paddock and I knew there was a good fuel load for it there,” he said.
“I made the call to double the number of fire trucks coming and the fire had only burnt about three acres by then.
“We saw it come over the hill straight towards home and my father who also lives there said he thought he’d be coming back to nothing.
“It was a good job by everyone to pull it up where they did, it was about 200 metres from our house.
“I reckon it’s the hardest fire I’ve ever fought.”
Crews were supported by a number of firefighting aircraft and had the fire’s perimeter extinguished by around 11 pm.
Despite the area the fire burnt through, there was minimal damage done to agricultural land, however six sheep were euthanised following the blaze.
Captain Hancock said the incident highlighted how unpredictable fires can be.
“This fire took off pretty quickly and it burnt through a very large area before we were able to control it,” he said.
“Forest Fire Management and CFA were both fantastic, the conditions weren’t easy and to get on top of it the way we did was a good effort by all.”