General News
17 February, 2024
City dodges bullet / as fire alert peaks
CFA District 17 Commander Chris Eagle heaped praise on Horsham district residents who were this week breathing a huge sigh of relief after escaping the worst of the fires that ravaged the Grampians.
CFA District 17 Commander Chris Eagle heaped praise on Horsham district residents who were this week breathing a huge sigh of relief after escaping the worst of the fires that ravaged the Grampians.
Fire crews from around the Wimmera - including many from the Horsham area - descended on the firegrounds as fires fanned by blistering winds tore through pockets of the national park on Tuesday, crossing the Western Highway at Dadswells Bridge and striking at the heart of Pomonal.
"We sent five strike teams which are made up of six trucks," Mr Eagle said.
Dozens of townships were on the highest fire alert possible as a "catastrophic" fire danger rating was declared across the region.
"We were really, really lucky we didn't have a fire (locally)," Mr Eagle told The Horsham Times.
"The public did the right thing and followed advice.
"If we didn't, it would've been the same result as the Grampians national park.
"The (local) community did prevent fires from happening."
South of Horsham, homes were lost, five CFA personnel were injured, and hundreds of residents were in shock.
Many of the 350-strong Pomonal community were urged to leave as the fire approached on Tuesday afternoon.
Within hours, five experienced firefighters attempting to save properties in the town escaped serious injury when flames leapt over their vehicle.
“A CFA crew found themselves entrapped by fire,” CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said.
“Thankfully, they are highly trained and highly skilled. We practise for this situation to activate crew protection.
"They managed to put their training into action and despite receiving minor burns from cinders, they are OK.
"Certainly, a close call for the CFA crew that got entrapped.”
By the next morning, several homes were gutted and the church was reported to be lost - but thankfully no lives.
Authorities said it was too early to say exactly how many people had been left homeless.
Four water bombing aircraft were deployed at the height of the fires, which claimed about 6000 hectares of bushland.
Horsham Rural City Council also sent graders - each with a team of eight - to the fire zones.
"We had four council graders out at Dadswells Bridge and Pomonal cutting double containment lines in open country which helped to reduce the impact of the fire," a HRCC spokesperson told The Horsham Times.
"They were out there since Tuesday afternoon and worked throughout the night, and swapped shifts at 3am."