Flowerdale grassfire declared under control on fourth day
Hundreds of firefighters have contained a raging grassfire, four days after was accidentally ignited by an angle grinder in Flowerdale.
Victoria
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Hundreds of firefighters have contained a raging grassfire, four days after it was accidentally ignited by an angle grinder in the north of Melbourne.
The blaze started on Spring Valley Rd in Flowerdale about 2.40pm on Tuesday and was under control about 7.08pm on Friday.
More than 1000ha of land burned with multiple sheds, cars, livestock and farming equipment damaged.
It’s understood no homes were lost and no injuries were reported.
A Country Fire Authority spokesman said smoke will still be visible in the area but there was no threat to the community.
He said residents should still stay informed and monitor conditions.
How ‘bloody accident’ sparked Flowerdale fire
The man behind the blaze has labelled the incident as an accident and apologised to those affected.
71-year-old local resident, Bill Sangster, spoke with 9 News about the remorse he felt following the realisation he had caused the bushfire on Tuesday afternoon.
“I take full responsibility for what happened, it was a bloody accident … I felt really bad,” he said.
Mr Sangster shared rare insight into how the fire started and commented on the shocking speed and intensity in which it spread.
He explained that he was using an angle grinder on a fence along his property when sparks flew onto the ground before the fire rapidly started spreading.
“The waxy stuff on the tussocks exploded and spread, then the wind came up,” he said
“Then it just took off.
“I didn’t think it would go much further and then it jumped from there [a dam on his property], up to the house.”
Police came and questioned Mr Sangster at his home, commending him on being honest and open about the situation.
He was arrested and released, pending further inquiries.
Local police claim blaze was not deliberate
At a meeting in Yea on Wednesday night, Sergeant Michael Mannix reassured the community there was not an “arsonist at foot”.
“We’ve had a preliminary investigation done, and there’s still an ongoing assessment of that,” he said.
“I can reassure the community that we don’t have an arsonist at foot.
“I can tell you at this stage of the investigation, it’s accidental.
“I want to stress that point.
“Please be reassured, we haven’t got an arsonist running around.”
Sgt Mannix said the blaze was not deliberately lit.
“It’s not a deliberately lit fire,” he said
“Those inquiries are ongoing, but from the knowledge I have, I don’t think that assessment will change.”
Miracle as house survives inferno
A Flowerdale resident can’t believe his home survived an inferno after flames came just centimetres away from burning it down.
Trevor Larbey, 56, rushed home on Tuesday after being notified of the fast-moving bushfire that had surrounded his 60ha property.
He thought the worst but was relieved to find dozens of CFA volunteers safeguarding his corrugated iron home.
“I don’t believe in miracles, but if you look around there’s a lot of stuff that should be burnt that isn’t. I’m pretty happy about that,” Mr Larbey said.
“I didn’t think there’d be anything left.
“We managed to escape Black Saturday and now 2023. We’re fortunate, as we’ve always been worried about fires here. The CFA have done an amazing job.”
Mr Larbey said it was a “very unpleasant thought” to think the fire may have been deliberately lit.
“We’re fortunate to not have suffered the ultimate consequence – lost lives or something stupid like that,” he said.
“The grass will grow back but it could have been very different.”
‘We are literally throwing everything at it’
Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said it was one of the “most significant” fires the state had seen so far this season.
“It’s not contained, it’s not under control,” he said.
“It is critical that people stay across the conditions and stay across the warnings we are pushing out at the moment.”
Mr Crisp said only one home had been “slightly damaged” on Wednesday afternoon.
Fire bans as severe heatwave looms
BOM meteorologist Kevin Parkyn said warm nights and hot days had sparked a heatwave warning, with the mercury to reach the mid 30s between Thursday and Saturday.
The warning, however, is only classified as severe in the state’s southwest, Mr Parkyn said.
“It’s been a short space of time between consecutive heatwaves,” he said.
A cool change is coming on Saturday, but it’s not expected to bring much rainfall.
“We’re only expecting a few millimetres,” he said.
CFA chief Jason Heffernan said there had been increased grass growth in recent months due to unusually high levels of rain, which amplified the grassfire risk this season.
“No one can afford to be complacent anywhere in the state over the next few days,” he said.
Scars reopened for Flowerdale residents
Lilli Stutchbury said her family had decided to stay and protect her parents horse stud on Spring Valley Rd.
The blaze started about 3km away from them but spread within 1km of their property.
“My parents stood outside throughout the night talking to our horses to help keep them calm … they are safe but on constant high alert,” she said.
“Our plan has always been the same — all horses go into the paddocks with the least grass and trees, their rugs are removed.
“My parents have an elaborate sprinkler system that runs all the time.”
In 2009, the Black Saturday bushfires devastated the area, claiming the lives of 173 people, injuring another 414, burning 2133 houses and killing more than one million animals in total.
Ms Stutchbury said her mum, Nette, and dad, Rob, have lived in the area for more than 40 years.
“During Black Saturday, my mum and dad were home fighting embers hitting their property for days,” she said.
“They couldn’t leave and had no contact with anyone and no power or phone coverage.”
Ms Stutchbury said it “doesn’t get any easier” living in a fire prone area.
“I actually want people to be aware of the pain we go through in rural areas,” she said.
“Just because we don’t lose our houses every time, doesn’t mean it doesn’t rock our world every time.
“We will all be on high alert long after the fires are out and the smoke has cleared.
“My heart will always stop when I get the notification on my app that my hometown is on fire again.”
Ms Stutchbury said primary schools were still open on Wednesday.
“School will run as some of the locals that are in danger need the support of the school to keep their children safe while they fight fires,” she said.
“My eight-year-old son Toby is great in these situations.
“He is helpful moving sprinklers and talking to the horses. He loves watching the choppers going over.”
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