‘Reckless’ campfire led to nightmare blaze for holidaymakers; Thieves steal CFA vehicle in central Victoria

A bushfire that left about 100 people stranded on a Victorian beach was sparked by a reckless decision to leave a campfire unattended.

Police said on Thursday that a criminal investigation had been launched into Wednesday’s blaze at Cape Otway in the state’s south-west, after investigators pinpointed the campfire as the cause.

CFA crews worked for several hours to bring the bushfire under control.Credit: Wye River CFA

Also on Thursday, police were called to central Victoria after thieves stole a marked and equipment-loaded Country Fire Authority (CFA) ute from the Highlands Caveat Rural Fire Brigade, east of Seymour.

Police believed the brigade was broken into between 5am and 6am on Thursday, with the ute – a 2006 Toyota Landcruiser with CFA markings and registration UGL-945 – among other items stolen.

“Somebody got access to the fire station and took our slip-on Landcruiser that’s got 400 litres of water on the back, plus pump and foam, and other equipment,” fire brigade member Alistair Lade told ABC Radio.

The thieves also broke into a locked shipping container and raided drinks in a fridge, he said.

“We’ve still got two-thirds of our fire season to go … [and] the trailer and the slip-on were really essential for us,” Lade said.

The CFA-marked ute stolen from the Highlands-Caveat brigade on Thursday.Credit: Facebook

The Cape Otway bushfire – which took firefighters almost seven hours to bring under control after it started at Blanket Bay Road and Red Hill Track about 2.20am on Wednesday – tore through about 14 hectares.

The blaze left about 100 people stranded at the Blanket Bay campground, about 30 kilometres south-west of Apollo Bay.

Police said the bushfire forced the evacuation of a total of more than 150 people from nearby campsites, with many fleeing to Apollo Bay’s community and youth halls. Some hikers on the Great Ocean Walk were evacuated to Cape Otway Lightstation.

Nobody was injured in the fire, but Detective Inspector Karl Curran slammed those responsible and said they would be charged if found.

“This is an example of reckless conduct which could have had catastrophic consequences,” Curran said. “This unattended campfire has led to a significant response from emergency services, involving major evacuations of other campers.”

Evacuation orders were issued just before 3am on Wednesday, but by 7am escape routes were cut off by the blaze, and holidaymakers and residents in the area were told to find shelter as it was too late to leave.

The fire threat was downgraded shortly after 8am on Wednesday.

Anyone found guilty of recklessly or intentionally causing a bushfire faces up to 15 years in prison, police said.

Arson and explosives squad Detective Inspector Chris Murray said the Cape Otway bushfire should serve as a reminder to the community: “If you light it, you own it.”

“We won’t hesitate to hold those to account for starting a fire – whether it is recklessly or deliberately lit, the outcome is often the same,” Murray said.

“If you are going to be lighting a fire or engaging in any activities that could lead to a fire starting, consider that if it gets away from you, you could be held criminally responsible.”

Police urged anyone with information about the unattended campfire or Highlands CFA burglary to come forward.

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