Fire break and help from fireys saves Ben Evan’s home

Six homes were saved from an out of control bushfire by volunteers who parked fire trucks in front of the homes to stop the blaze

Fly Creek Resident Ben Evans had a bushfire come close to his house. Bushfires NT fireys came to his home to make sure the fire did not endanger his home. Picture: Ben Evans

A BUSHFIRE came barrelling towards Fly Creek resident, Ben Evans’ house yesterday.

The fire came close to destroying six homes in the rural suburb.

It came within 30m of his home but he was prepared for the bushfire.

About three years ago a fire tore through the same area, making it all the way up to his fire break.

After that he decided to increase his fire break by another 10m and installed more sprinklers to keep the grass green, and he glad he did.

He first noticed the fire around lunchtime. When the smoke grew to a large cloud he went to investigate and drove to the back of his block, when he saw the flames he turned around and raced back to the house.

Fly Creek Resident Ben Evans had a bushfire come close to his house. Bushfires NT fireys came to his home to make sure the fire did not endanger his home. Picture: Ben Evans

“It was a bit eerie the speed of the fire,” he said.

“It had about 330m to come (to the house) and took less than five minutes.”

Fireys quickly arrived and fought the blaze from the ground while planes dropped water from the sky.

Mr Evans thanked the efforts put in by the fireys.

Bushfires NT volunteers parked fire trucks in front of the homes to stop the blaze.

Bushfires NT sent out several fireys and 14 volunteer units to bring the fire under control.

Five planes were also used to dump water on the fire.

A total fire ban has been declared as perfect weather conditions for fires have aligned.

Bushfires NT chief fire controller Andrew Turner said the hot temperatures, windy and gusty weather would continue for the next couple of days.

“This is part of three day weather event and were expecting very dry conditions today and tomorrow,” he said.

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The fire in the area of Fly Creek destroyed a shed, a couple of caravans and a number of cars that had been left in the scrub.

Fireys also attended to fires at Litchfield Park Rd, Cedar Park at Coomalie, Marrakai and Koolpinyah Station.

A fire ban in the Darwin and Adelaide River area remains in place.