Raglan Fire Brigade Captain Adin Gillingham and CFA volunteer Greg Staib
Six months on from the devastating Bayindeen fires, Raglan Fire Brigade is riding a wave of community resilience, reflected by a surge in volunteer applicants.
The fire, which burned for over two weeks in the Pyrenees Shire last February and March, claimed seven residential homes and more than 22,000 hectares of farmland and state forest.
In the following months, the brigade received a whopping 21 new applications.
Adin Gillingham, Captain of Raglan Fire Brigade, says this influx has provided a much-needed boost following a challenging fire season.
“It’s great for the future of our brigade. We currently have five recruits in their probationary period, and another eight are about to come online,” Adin said.
“We have two new members who have taken on non-operational roles as our treasurer and secretary, which are always tough positions to fill.
“In the next six to eight months, we’ll hopefully increase active membership by another 13 people so the future is bright for our brigade.
“We’re fortunate with the infrastructure we have with three fantastic vehicles. What we need most is manpower, and that’s what we’re getting.”
Reflecting on his experience during the fire, Adin recalls knowing the situation was severe even before he arrived on scene.
“When I got to Woodmans Hill near Ballarat and saw the smoke columns turning black, I knew we were in for a long day,” Adin said.
“It’s still a bit surreal. It wasn’t until the next day that I returned and saw what had happened.
“During the fire, there was no time to think about anything other than the safety of the community and our brigade members.”
One of those members was Greg Staib, who had only completed his General Firefighter training a few weeks before the fires broke out.
“Fighting a fire that size wasn’t something I expected so soon after starting,” Greg said.
“Luckily, I had a couple of other callouts beforehand where I practised using the equipment. It was an intense experience, but we worked together as a unit, so my responsibilities didn’t feel too overwhelming.”
While fighting the fires, Greg also had to contend with the knowledge that spot fires were within a few hundred metres of his property.
“I was looking over the horizon at my place, and when I heard my street name on the radio I was a bit nervous. But by then there were about 40 or 50 trucks around, so I knew our crews were heading out there,” Greg said.
“I really appreciate what it means to be in a well-supported community and how essential the fire station is as a point of resilience when times are tough. It also serves as an important gathering place for the community.
“It’s been a character-shaping experience, and I feel Raglan as a community is stronger because of it.”
As the community continues its recovery, Adin emphasised the importance of staying vigilant as another fire season approaches.
“We found that most houses that were well-prepared were defendable. Removing light leaf litter and lighter and heavier fuels around your house makes a big difference,” Adin said.
“With only one truck, we were able to get around to a lot of houses with light fuel loads, extinguish the initial fire, and prevent reignition because there were no heavier fuels left.
You can learn more about preparing your property before fire season here.