Burn off escapes in restriction period

WARRACKNABEAL Police are investigating an illegal burn off at the rear of O’Connors last Tuesday evening at 7.36pm.
A worker was allegedly burning off rubbish earlier in the day and left it unattended during the high fire danger period when wind spread the fire to a nearby vehicle and burnt it out completely.
The fire also burnt tyres and nearby grass and trees, it also burnt under shipping containers at the scene requiring forklifts to lift the containers so the fire could be extinguished.
Neighbours called 000 and a truck driver to move another truck at the scene from risk.
The Warracknabeal Herald understands the truck ended up badly scorched with the fire burning through rubber and into the sleeper of the truck.
Two Warracknabeal Urban Fire Brigade units attended the scene of the fire along with Warracknabeal Police Officers. Fire fighters used foam to assist in the extinguishing of the fire
Country Fire Authority District 17 duty officer Peter Bell who attended the fire reminds people to apply for a permit if they plan to light a fire in the open in high fire danger periods.
Warracknabeal Urban Fire Brigade Captain Ron Zanker said that 44 gallon drums do not constitute a properly constructed incinerator.
“Wind strength and weather conditions need to be taken into consideration when in a period of fire restriction, before using a properly constructed incinerator and obtaining a permit,” he said.