Government plans bushfire response
August 12, 2010
South East councils have welcomed the State Government’s pledge to prioritise establishment of “places of last resort and refuge” in rural towns before the coming bushfire season as the nation looks for ways to prevent a repeat of Victoria’s Black Saturday tragedy.
Emergency Services Minister Michael Wright yesterday announced an interim response to Victoria’s Royal Commission into the disaster, which claimed 173 lives. Read more
Yahl home destroyed in blaze
May 26, 2010
AN electrical fault has been identified as the cause of a fire that destroyed a family home at Yahl on Sunday evening, causing an estimated $200,000 damage.
Adelaide MFS fire cause investigator Steve Daviess said the fire was caused by a faulty electrical appliance on a desk in the main bedroom. Read more
CFS raises complacency alarm
January 15, 2010
The Moorak CFS Brigade captain has issued a warning to landowners who refuse to clean up their overgrown properties that firefighters will not enter the areas during a bushfire.
Fed-up and alarmed over the continual apathy of some local landowners, Moorak firefighting veteran John Beimans called on landowners to act immediately and clean up overgrown vegetation and remove large items scattered around their properties. Read more
Children started house fires
January 6, 2010
Young children have accidentally started two South East house fires in the past week, sparking the emergency services to call for parents not to leave kids alone with electrical appliances.
On Sunday morning the kitchen of a house on Poole Street, Millicent, was destroyed, with the bill at around $50,000. Read more
Car caught fire at Tarpeena
December 31, 2009
Country Fire Service crews believe a busted fuel line was responsible for a car fire on the Riddoch Highway at Tarpeena during Wednesday afternoon’s blistering 38-degree heat.
Tarpeena CFS brigade captain Peter Balnaves said he was unsure exactly how the vehicle caught alight, but suspected a petrol leak came into contact with the hot exhaust and combusted. Read more
CFS adds new fire warning service
December 30, 2009
With South Australia expecting a long hot summer, the Country Fire Service has launched a new service that increases the availability and functionality of bushfire information for the public.
CFS Chief Officer Euan Ferguson said that providing timely information to the community about bushfire threats is almost as important as fighting the fire itself. Read more
Firefighter health warning
December 29, 2009
As firefighters fought a hay blaze in trying conditions with heat over 39 degrees and wind gusts of 72kmh on Wednesday, a first aider warned volunteers to take care as the threat of more fires increases with the onset of summer.
Port MacDonnell community emergency response team leader Denise Gower assisted ambulance personnel at the scene to protect the wellbeing of firefighters, offering water, refreshments, oxygen and space to rest away from the smoke and heat. Read more
Kingston fire contained
December 23, 2009
The CFS advises that the threat to public safety posed by the Kingston fire near Taratap and Keliera in the Lower South East has reduced.
Crews will remain in the area and smoke will be visible as back burning operations continue. Travelling in the area may be hazardous.
For more information contact the bushfire hotline on 1300 362 361. Read more
Fire destroys Allendale East home
December 23, 2009
A house fire at Allendale East this morning caused about $100,000 damage, while the residents were out.
The blaze took hold of the home on the corner of Williams and Mortimer Streets, in the Allendale East township, at about 8.30am.
Port MacDonnell, Allendale East, Donovans, Mount Schank and Moorak Country Fire Service crews attended, but the house was reportedly burnt beyond repair. Read more
Victorian fire conditions extreme
December 15, 2009
The Country Fire Authority has warned an extreme fire weather forecast exists for Wimmera and Western Victorian districts on Wednesday
Fire danger is set to rise to extreme in the Wimmera and Western districts on Wednesday, with severe conditions forecast for northern and central parts of the state. Read more
