Displays when Total Fire Ban in force
This morning we were called to a grassfire in the Ashbourne area of Woodend. It turned out it was started by an illegal burnoff that got out of control. The fire quickly spread into a neighbouring property and some 15 large roll hay bales ignited, as well as the fire spreading over several acres of pasture and endangering nearby bush. A neighbour was very helpful with water on their ute, stemming the flow until CFA trucks could arrive. It took four vehicles from Woodend, as well as tankers from Macedon, Newham, Carlsruhe, Tylden, Trentham and Malmsbury Big Fill to bring the fire under control and then black out. We were called at 11am and returned to station at 4pm, a five hour job. The property owner was quite irresponsible for not only burning on a dangerous windy day but also for not checking whether Fire Restrictions were still in force in the Macedon Ranges … which they are! Ironically, soon after we returned to the station it was announced that Fire Restrictions will be lifted in the Macedon Ranges on the morning of Tuesday April 18. By checking and waiting for a few days, the property owner could have saved themselves a lot of angst and probable heavy fines.
