BURN OFF GETS INTO BUSH!

Just after 1pm this afternoon Woodend, Tylden and Trentham brigades were called to a burn off out-of-contol on Faloons Road in Ashbourne. Woodend Captain was first on scene and saw the extent of the fire, immediately calling ‘make tankers ten’. The fire had started from a ‘burn off done badly’ and spread rapidly into heavily-wooded bush, covering an area of more than an acre. It was burning rapidly through the bush and up into the trees. Woodend, Tylden and Trentham tankers quickly attacked the fire, awaiting back-up from tankers from Newham, Gisborne, Macedon, Mt Macedon, Bullengarook, Hesket-Kerrie, Carlsruhe and Malmsbury, as well as Mt Group FOV and Tylden FCV. The fire took same time to contain and control. Because of the extent of burning tree piles, a nearby resident with a massive excavator was called in to break up the piles to allow fire fighters to completely extinguish the fire. We greatly appreciate the work of the excavator driver. Tankers were gradually released and the job closed around 4.30pm. With the Fire Danger Period starting tomorrow, a timely lesson of how dangerous the condictions are in our nearby bush.