Just before 4pm this afternoon (17 December), Wildwood, Craigieburn and Clarkefield fire brigades were paged to a reported burn off out of control in the vicinity of Konagaderra Road in Clarkefield.
On arrival, a fire was found to be burning freely along a gully, and up the sides of hilly terrain. Additional Tankers were requested due to their being no reticulated water in the area.
With the head and flanks of the fire slowed by ground crews, the early call for Slip-ons, as well as air support coming from 'Malcolm' the Skycrane, put a halt to the spread of fire in the gully.
As this fire was being extinguished and blacked out, Operations Officer Paul Elso noticed a growing column of smoke several kilometers away and asked Vicfire if there were any burnoffs in the area. As it was a negative, OO Elso requested a Make Tankers 5, with OO Wright recalling Air Support to douse the flames. This fire was quickly brought under control before it could spread into a pine hedge and other bushland.
Unfortunately, this fire was also as a result of an escaped private burnoff.
The incident controller for the initial fire on Konagaderra Road was Captain Joel Xuereb from Wildwood Fire Brigade.
Pictures by Blair Dellemijn - CFA Photographer.
Author: Blair Dellemijn